Employee relations representative vs employee relations manager

The differences between employee relations representatives and employee relations managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an employee relations representative, becoming an employee relations manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an employee relations manager has an average salary of $81,465, which is higher than the $60,816 average annual salary of an employee relations representative.

The top three skills for an employee relations representative include performance management, labor relations and human resources policies. The most important skills for an employee relations manager are performance management, management system, and conflict resolution.

Employee relations representative vs employee relations manager overview

	Employee Relations Representative	Employee Relations Manager
Yearly salary	$60,816	$81,465
Hourly rate	$29.24	$39.17
Growth rate	-3%	7%
Number of jobs	35,780	41,544
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	41	47
Years of experience	4	6

What does an employee relations representative do?

Employee relations representatives are professionals who are responsible for negotiating the contracts of employees as well as offer overall support to them working for an organization. These representatives must deal with employee complaints in areas such as salary, pensions, and benefits while investigating potential disturbances in their workplace. They must educate their employees about the organization's personnel rules and practices as well as the state labor laws. Employee relations representatives must also keep complete and accurate employee records and provide guidance to limit potential lawsuits.

What does an employee relations manager do?

An employee relations manager's responsibilities revolve around maintaining a strong professional relationship between employees and a company's management. They are also in charge of resolving conflicts and issues within the workplace, providing technical support on all employee programs, developing orientation and workshop activities among trainees and new members of the workforce, and addressing their concerns promptly and professionally. Furthermore, there are instances when an employee relations manager must conduct investigations, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Employee relations representative vs employee relations manager salary

Employee relations representatives and employee relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Employee Relations Representative	Employee Relations Manager
Average salary	$60,816	$81,465
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $91,000	Between $59,000 And $112,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Washington
Best paying company	Google	Meta
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Retail

Differences between employee relations representative and employee relations manager education

There are a few differences between an employee relations representative and an employee relations manager in terms of educational background:

	Employee Relations Representative	Employee Relations Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Southern California	Northwestern University

Employee relations representative vs employee relations manager demographics

Here are the differences between employee relations representatives' and employee relations managers' demographics:

	Employee Relations Representative	Employee Relations Manager
Average age	41	47
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 8.5% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	9%	18%

Differences between employee relations representative and employee relations manager duties and responsibilities

Employee relations representative example responsibilities.

Gather and document information to achieve litigation free outcomes or successfully defend company.
Process job injury payroll and time sheets utilizing Kronos and PeopleSoft systems.
Oversee all leaves of absence including short-term disability, long-term disability, FMLA, military leave and personal leave.
Participate in the selection and implementation process for the HRIS system and maintain applicant data entry for HRIS/Lawson application tracking system.
Research and analyze the implications of the FMLA legislation on company practices, and implement employee communication and corporate compliance procedures.
Conduct disciplinary action and termination investigations and track information regarding investigations via HRIS system.

Employee relations manager example responsibilities.

Lead office through OFCCP audit and manage compliance with a conciliation agreement.
Manage and publish several cost-savings models for Sr. level management.
Provide litigation support to counsel which include representation at depositions, mediation and settlement conferences, and trial document preparation.
File EEO-1, ACA annually.
Provide oversight for all unemployment claims, successfully defending all unfound claims.
Serve as chief spokesperson and advisor on all labor and employee relations matters.

Employee relations representative vs employee relations manager skills

Common employee relations representative skills

Performance Management, 7%
Labor Relations, 6%
Human Resources Policies, 6%
Conflict Resolution, 5%
Employment Law, 5%
HRIS, 5%

Common employee relations manager skills

Performance Management, 9%
Management System, 7%
Conflict Resolution, 5%
Labor Relations, 5%
Employment Law, 5%
Employee Engagement, 4%

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Employee Relations Representative
Employee Relations Representative vs Employee Relations Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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