Head of human resources vs employee relations manager

The differences between heads of human resources and employee relations managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a head of human resources and an employee relations manager. Additionally, a head of human resources has an average salary of $164,136, which is higher than the $81,465 average annual salary of an employee relations manager.

The top three skills for a head of human resources include EEO, excellent interpersonal and HRIS. The most important skills for an employee relations manager are performance management, management system, and conflict resolution.

Head of human resources vs employee relations manager overview

	Head Of Human Resources	Employee Relations Manager
Yearly salary	$164,136	$81,465
Hourly rate	$78.91	$39.17
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	54,209	41,544
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a head of human resources do?

Head of human resources leads human resource projects, such as compensation plans revisions. They implement functional internal databases and HRMS across each department and location.

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.

Head of human resources vs employee relations manager salary

Heads of human resources and employee relations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Head Of Human Resources	Employee Relations Manager
Average salary	$164,136	$81,465
Salary range	Between $105,000 And $255,000	Between $59,000 And $112,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Maine	Washington
Best paying company	Citi	Meta
Best paying industry	Finance	Retail

Differences between head of human resources and employee relations manager education

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

	Head Of Human Resources	Employee Relations Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Head of human resources vs employee relations manager demographics

Here are the differences between heads of human resources' and employee relations managers' demographics:

	Head Of Human Resources	Employee Relations Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9%	Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1%
Race ratio	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%	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	18%	18%

Differences between head of human resources and employee relations manager duties and responsibilities

Head of human resources example responsibilities.

Manage FMLA, general leaves of absence, and workers compensation programs.
Manage recruitment for personnel and initial phone screening with the use of Taleo and Visio.
Manage and publish several cost-savings models for Sr. level management.
Ensure compliance with ISO policies and procedures and perform audits.
Top responsible for benefits administration, recruiting, associate relations, FMLA administration.
Direct all HRIS transactions, including payroll for employees and freelance staff; recurring payroll tax and other filings.

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.

Head of human resources vs employee relations manager skills

Common head of human resources skills

EEO, 8%
Excellent Interpersonal, 7%
HRIS, 6%
Employee Engagement, 6%
Succession Planning, 5%
Strategic Plan, 4%

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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Head Of Human Resources
Head Of Human Resources vs Employee Relations Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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