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Associate/team lead vs shift supervisor

The differences between associate/team leads and shift supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an associate/team lead and a shift supervisor. Additionally, an associate/team lead has an average salary of $54,721, which is higher than the $34,141 average annual salary of a shift supervisor.

The top three skills for an associate/team lead include excellent interpersonal, product knowledge and quality standards. The most important skills for a shift supervisor are cash handling, store operations, and store management.

Associate/team lead vs shift supervisor overview

Associate/Team LeadShift Supervisor
Yearly salary$54,721$34,141
Hourly rate$26.31$16.41
Growth rate-10%
Number of jobs247,018282,079
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age4343
Years of experience66

What does an associate/team lead do?

An associate/team lead oversees the performance of team members while ensuring that clients get to receive optimal services. Their responsibilities typically include establishing guidelines and objectives, managing schedules, generating leads, performing market research and analysis, and developing strategies to optimize the daily operations. They may communicate with clients and assist them by identifying their needs, answering inquiries, and resolving issues and concerns. Moreover, as an associate/team lead, it is essential to guide and encourage staff to reach goals, all while enforcing the company's policies and regulations.

What does a shift supervisor do?

Shift supervisors are responsible for the employees assigned to the shift that they are handling. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees who were expected to report to work at the specific shift came in. They also ensure that the employees are doing their jobs while at work. Shift supervisors are expected to ensure that employees are really working during working hours and properly delegate work. Shift supervisors ensure that the employees are productive and efficient in their jobs. They are expected to provide coaching and guidance so that the employees will be able to reach the goals assigned to the work team.

Associate/team lead vs shift supervisor salary

Associate/team leads and shift supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Associate/Team LeadShift Supervisor
Average salary$54,721$34,141
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $104,000Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MASan Jose, CA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandHawaii
Best paying companyCitiAbbVie
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between associate/team lead and shift supervisor education

There are a few differences between an associate/team lead and a shift supervisor in terms of educational background:

Associate/Team LeadShift Supervisor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY College of Technology at DelhiSUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Associate/team lead vs shift supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between associate/team leads' and shift supervisors' demographics:

Associate/Team LeadShift Supervisor
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 51.8% Female, 48.2%Male, 49.1% Female, 50.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 6.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between associate/team lead and shift supervisor duties and responsibilities

Associate/team lead example responsibilities.

  • Accomplish requirements, allocating resources, scheduling and coordinating staff and assure accuracy of payroll.
  • Ensure all sales transactions, refunds and POS system function smoothly and take corrective action when necessary.
  • Process sales transactions, POS, credit applications, discounts, trade-in allowances, warranties and delivery dates.
  • Provide leadership and mentoring of team members to increase productivity while ensuring accuracy.
  • Handle inbound/outbound escalate customer complaints, including executive escalations from various levels of leadership.
  • Aggregate, analyze and organize information from QC reports into a department-wide WIKI to facilitate information sharing and best practice utilization.
  • Show more

Shift supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Content include math skills, how to manage a monthly budget, job searches, and managing a home.
  • Manage a team of energy consultants in daily production, SPH (sales per hr.
  • Evaluate daily job objectives and utilize knowledge of math, physics, and engineering to achieve the desired results.
  • Manage a part-time managerial shift supervisor position that require daily bookkeeping in POS system.
  • Prepare overall security plans and manage security operations of organization, including assignments, staffing and payroll.
  • Carry out administrative functions including tracking ordering and managing inventory, and support the manager in monitoring store security and cleanliness.
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Associate/team lead vs shift supervisor skills

Common associate/team lead skills
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 18%
  • Product Knowledge, 9%
  • Quality Standards, 9%
  • Leadership, 7%
  • Math, 6%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 6%
Common shift supervisor skills
  • Cash Handling, 19%
  • Store Operations, 9%
  • Store Management, 9%
  • Loss Prevention, 7%
  • Food Products, 7%
  • Cash Flow, 5%