What does a personnel analyst do?
Personnel analyst responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real personnel analyst resumes:
- Work with Kronos time keeping software and manage personnel files.
- Lead team development on new HRIS recruitment and selection system.
- Enter employees in HRIS, insurance and other benefit programs.
- Complete appropriate personnel and payroll documents to initiate pay status, change pay status, or change personal information.
- Design and adjust job specifications according to departmental requirements, legal standards, EEO guidelines, and task analysis results.
- Conduct payroll research and investigations.
- Open new FMLA claims and determine eligibility per federal guidelines.
- Assess and develop manpower resource requirements using a systematic approach for validating and improving allocations.
- Monitor FMLA hours to ensure employees stay within federal guidelines and communicate with employees/management regarding re-certification requirements.
- Determine staffing requirements, and request manpower authorizations to ensure organizations are fully staff at all times.
- Conduct internal investigations of discrimination, sexual harassment and workplace violence and respond to state and federal EEO compliance agency complaints.
- Review requests for PWD for completeness and inaccuracies/errors or omissions.
- Represent organization at AWG hearings and mediate settlement with borrowers.
Personnel analyst skills and personality traits
We calculated that 20% of Personnel Analysts are proficient in Payroll, Personnel Policies, and Personnel Actions. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Business skills, and Communication skills.
We break down the percentage of Personnel Analysts that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Payroll, 20%
Performed all general personnel transactions using Statewide PeopleSoft Payroll System.
- Personnel Policies, 7%
Worked closely with department supervisors regarding application, interpretation, and implementation of county personnel policies and state Civil Service Laws.
- Personnel Actions, 6%
Authorized proposed personnel actions of line departments based on conformity with existing regulations, standards or practices.
- Selection Procedures, 6%
Determined appropriate methods for validation of selection procedures.
- Labor Relations, 6%
Participate in labor relations/negotiations; developed policies and procedures to support a quality Human Resource service.
- Collective Bargaining, 4%
Ensured classification and compensation practices for represented positions were in compliance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.
"payroll," "personnel policies," and "personnel actions" are among the most common skills that personnel analysts use at work. You can find even more personnel analyst responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a personnel analyst to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists perform data and cost analyses to evaluate their organization’s policies." Personnel analysts often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "queried databases to prepare statistical reports. "
Business skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling personnel analyst duties is business skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "specialists must understand basic finance and accounting." According to a personnel analyst resume, here's how personnel analysts can utilize business skills in their job responsibilities: "rolled out training programs and modules for various community based organizations, public businesses, and schools. "
Communication skills. personnel analysts are also known for communication skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to personnel analyst responsibilities, because "specialists need to provide information about compensation and benefits in a way that is understandable to employees at all levels throughout their organization." A personnel analyst resume example shows how communication skills is used in the workplace: "conducted administrative communications and personnel administration in accordance with policies. "
The three companies that hire the most personnel analysts are:
- UCLA5 personnel analysts jobs
- UCI Health3 personnel analysts jobs
- COUNTY OF MERCED1 personnel analysts jobs
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Personnel analyst vs. Employee benefits supervisor
An Employee Benefits Supervisor supervises, trains, and completes performance reviews for the staff they manage. They develop and update procedure manuals, analyze, note down company operations, and interact with company vendors, staff, officials, members, and other entities. They oversee all open enrollment aspects with the help of employee wellness and communications or marketing staff. They also manage vendor performance, review service agreements, lead staff calls, meetings, and lead vendor calls.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a personnel analyst are more likely to require skills like "employee development," "personnel policies," "personnel actions," and "selection procedures." On the other hand, a job as an employee benefits supervisor requires skills like "hr," "customer service," "cobra," and "hipaa." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Employee benefits supervisors tend to reach lower levels of education than personnel analysts. In fact, employee benefits supervisors are 9.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Personnel analyst vs. Benefits advisor
A benefits advisor specializes in devising benefits programs and strategies for a workforce, ensuring they are well-compensated for their hard work. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing research and analysis to identify the needs of employees in a company, studying the benefit programs of competitors, and assessing the existing programs while putting the company's welfare into consideration. They must prepare reports and presentations for clients, provide cost-estimates and business plans, and evaluate risks, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, personnel analyst responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "payroll," "employee development," "personnel policies," and "personnel actions." Meanwhile, a benefits advisor has duties that require skills in areas such as "insurance benefits," "patients," "inbound calls," and "medicare advantage." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Benefits advisors may earn a higher salary than personnel analysts, but benefits advisors earn the most pay in the government industry with an average salary of $79,775. On the other hand, personnel analysts receive higher pay in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $59,723.benefits advisors earn lower levels of education than personnel analysts in general. They're 8.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Personnel analyst vs. Retirement plan specialist
Retirement plan specialists are experts who plan out their client's financial needs for retirement. The specialist's design and implement savings, benefit, and pension programs for clients. They have to explain the complicated nature of compensation, investment, and retirement packages to employees clearly and concisely. They process retirement plans following company and federal regulations. Also, they often have a background in business or human resources, and they may choose to earn employee benefit certifications that may help with their career advancement.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a personnel analyst is likely to be skilled in "employee development," "personnel policies," "personnel actions," and "selection procedures," while a typical retirement plan specialist is skilled in "crm," "financial products," "finra," and "erisa."
Retirement plan specialists typically earn lower educational levels compared to personnel analysts. Specifically, they're 8.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Personnel analyst vs. Benefits representative
A benefits representative is responsible for facilitating and disseminating information about benefits programs and policies across all employees in the company. Benefits representatives respond to the employees' inquiries and concerns of benefits processes, update their benefits information, and resolve discrepancies and disputes. They also support the company's initiatives on developing new benefits plans, implementing campaigns, as well as writing application guides for reference. A benefits representative should have excellent communication and organizational skills as they also conduct surveys to check the efficiency and effectiveness of the benefits programs and adjusting procedures as needed.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between personnel analysts and benefits representatives, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a personnel analyst might have more use for skills like "payroll," "employee development," "personnel policies," and "personnel actions." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of benefits representatives require skills like "customer service," "patients," "insurance coverage," and "medicaid. "
Benefits representatives enjoy the best pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $41,460. For comparison, personnel analysts earn the highest salary in the professional industry.In general, benefits representatives hold lower degree levels compared to personnel analysts. Benefits representatives are 9.9% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of personnel analyst
Updated January 8, 2025











