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Human resources assistant vs human resources supervisor

The differences between human resources assistants and human resources supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a human resources assistant, becoming a human resources supervisor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a human resources supervisor has an average salary of $64,757, which is higher than the $36,498 average annual salary of a human resources assistant.

The top three skills for a human resources assistant include customer service, payroll processing and background checks. The most important skills for a human resources supervisor are customer service, state laws, and payroll processing.

Human resources assistant vs human resources supervisor overview

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Supervisor
Yearly salary$36,498$64,757
Hourly rate$17.55$31.13
Growth rate-7%
Number of jobs40,40846,523
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4347
Years of experience26

What does a human resources assistant do?

Human resources (HR) assistants are responsible for various activities of the human resources department of the organization. This is usually an entry-level position for those who intend to build a career in human resources. Human resources assistants usually do administrative and clerical activities for the department. They are also exposed to various facets of HR, such as recruitment, training, compensation and benefits, employee relations, and organizational development. They get trained to do different activities, and as time goes by, they get to have more significant responsibilities within the department.

What does a human resources supervisor do?

A human resources supervisor is an individual responsible for developing and administering human resources programs so that the company can achieve efficient operations. Human resources supervisors coordinate all stages of the hiring process, such as checking all candidates' backgrounds, conducting interviews, and drug screening. They address conflicts among employees, investigate employee problems, and work with management to administer employee discipline or corrective action. The human resources supervisor also develops training and development programs for their salaried employees.

Human resources assistant vs human resources supervisor salary

Human resources assistants and human resources supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Supervisor
Average salary$36,498$64,757
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $48,000Between $47,000 And $88,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkCalifornia
Best paying companyPaul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & GarrisonGenentech
Best paying industryTechnologyManufacturing

Differences between human resources assistant and human resources supervisor education

There are a few differences between a human resources assistant and a human resources supervisor in terms of educational background:

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Supervisor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Human resources assistant vs human resources supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between human resources assistants' and human resources supervisors' demographics:

Human Resources AssistantHuman Resources Supervisor
Average age4347
Gender ratioMale, 15.9% Female, 84.1%Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%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 Percentage15%18%

Differences between human resources assistant and human resources supervisor duties and responsibilities

Human resources assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage all candidate activity and conduct full life- cycle recruiting through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
  • Manage new employee orientation training, including e-verify.
  • Operate TALEO software system for managing prospective and current employee application status and procedures
  • Manage short-term disability and FMLA claims; notified/educate employees of eligibility and qualification requirements.
  • Maximize efficiency of HRIS system by participating in initial design, managing ongoing system enhancements and streamlining reports.
  • Conduct compensation analyses, manage EEO compliance tracking activities and deliver presentations to corporate management regarding process improvement.
  • Show more

Human resources supervisor example responsibilities.

  • Manage and lead service team initiatives/special projects (i.e., ADP conversion, corporate mergers, and teamwork events).
  • Manage HRIS database system and provide monthly reports to executive management.
  • Manage job-reclassification project, conducting occupational research to determine if job titles are synchronized with FLSA norms.
  • Utilize KRONOS and ADP to import and process payroll.
  • Review all exempt positions to determine classification and conduct audits to ensure FLSA compliance.
  • Maintain all company leave of absence (including work-relate injuries, non work-relate leaves and FMLA, etc .).
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Human resources assistant vs human resources supervisor skills

Common human resources assistant skills
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Payroll Processing, 8%
  • Background Checks, 8%
  • HRIS, 7%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Assist Human Resources, 4%
Common human resources supervisor skills
  • Customer Service, 22%
  • State Laws, 9%
  • Payroll Processing, 5%
  • Personnel Actions, 4%
  • HRIS, 4%
  • ISO, 3%

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