I would always use the article "the" in your written examples and can't think of any example where you would use staff without "the".

I often (but not always) saw it without article, that's why...

@Chris: You can't think of examples, where staff is used without article? Just have a look at the 5.3 million Google hits for "by staff" and "with staff"!

http://www.google.de/search?num=50&hl=de&as_q..."by+staff"+OR+"with+staff"+site:uk+&meta=

Could you give an example of where you have seen it without the article?

In fact, it is used without article all the time:

www.vts.rdn.ac.uk/case_studies/cs_staff_dev.html
www.startups.co.uk/Staff_theft.c5HV6pRojdegVw.html
www.civictrust.org.uk/about/officers.shtml

@Bettina
yes, you are right about the examples of staff being used without article.
What do you mean that it is "always" used without article?
Check http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&q="the+staff"&meta=

Wouldn't you use "the" in Martina's examples?

@chris: I didn't say "always", but "all the time", which means "very often". I have a feeling that the use of the definite article is a matter of taste, but I leave it to the native speakers to comment on that. In two of Martina's examples I would use it, in the third I wouldn't. Anyway, I tend to use the plural, which is more common than the singular:

We consider the staff are qualified.
The care staff know ...
From the point of view of staff

So, is it just a matter of taste? Sometimes it feels wrong with article, sometimes I'm not sure. Anyway, I can't make out any rule.

Native Speakers????



about the number: according to Pons, both Sg. and Pl. can be used.

From http://www.economist.com/research/styleGuide/...

There is no firm rule about the number of a verb governed by a singular collective noun. It is best to go by the sense—that is, whether the collective noun stands for a single entity (The council was elected in March, The me generation has run its course, The staff is loyal) or for its constituents: (The council are at sixes and sevens, The preceding generation are all dead, The staff are at each other's throats).

@Martina: The style guideline you quoted might also cover the use of the article:

single entity --> no article
constituents --> article

This would coincide with how I used it by instinct in the above three examples.

Bettina: Ja, ich glaube, langsam beginne ich die Zusammenhänge zu erahnen. Gerade fand ich noch einen Hinweis im I-net, dass "staff" im allg. Sinn ohne Artikel benutzt wird, im speziellen Sinn mit Artikel. Das passt zu der o.g. Sg./Pl. Verwendung.

It works like a normal noun.

The people are here = certain, specified people.
The boys loved your present = certain, specified boys.
The hospital staff sent her a birthday card = the specific staff in a specific hospital
People love talking = people in general.
Boys love presents = all boys.
Hospital staff work very hard = all hospital workers in general.

We often leave out "the" in newspaper headlines or titles and in notes (we also leave out "a" and other things like modal verbs):
HOSPITAL STAFF GO ON STRIKE
Remember to pay staff overtime!

In your examples I'd also use "the" as you are talking (presumably) about the specific staff in a certain place.