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Shift manager vs team leader

The differences between shift managers and team leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a shift manager, becoming a team leader takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a team leader has an average salary of $68,817, which is higher than the $32,110 average annual salary of a shift manager.

The top three skills for a shift manager include cleanliness, inventory management and management. The most important skills for a team leader are customer service, ladders, and patients.

Shift manager vs team leader overview

Shift ManagerTeam Leader
Yearly salary$32,110$68,817
Hourly rate$15.44$33.09
Growth rate10%8%
Number of jobs335,517197,336
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age3943
Years of experience46

What does a shift manager do?

Shift managers are employees assigned to oversee the operations of the business during a specific time or work shift. They manage the employees assigned in a particular shift and ensure that the employees are working on their specific tasks. They also ensure that the needed manpower is met. Shift managers are also in charge of checking the sales, ensuring that the finances are properly balanced, and maintaining records during the work shift. They also respond to any challenges that may occur during the time period. Shift managers should have good organization skills, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.

What does a team leader do?

Team leaders are responsible for managing a team for a specific project or work component. They primarily guide the team members and ensure that they are still working towards the set goals. Team leaders create strategies to reach goals, cascade the goals and strategies to team members, assign tasks, conduct periodic check-ups on the roadmap towards the goals, foster an engaging work environment, motivate and coach team members, monitor team performance, evaluate the strategies and come up with mitigating plans as needed. They are also responsible for reporting the team's progress to higher management.

Shift manager vs team leader salary

Shift managers and team leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.

Shift ManagerTeam Leader
Average salary$32,110$68,817
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $43,000Between $37,000 And $126,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CANew York, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaAlaska
Best paying companyABBRopes & Gray
Best paying industryRetail-

Differences between shift manager and team leader education

There are a few differences between a shift manager and a team leader in terms of educational background:

Shift ManagerTeam Leader
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeCornell UniversitySUNY College of Technology at Delhi

Shift manager vs team leader demographics

Here are the differences between shift managers' and team leaders' demographics:

Shift ManagerTeam Leader
Average age3943
Gender ratioMale, 43.1% Female, 56.9%Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.2% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage10%9%

Differences between shift manager and team leader duties and responsibilities

Shift manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage night shift ensuring closing procedures, customer service, and employee management are accomplished following company policies
  • Manage FOH to insure all guests are happy and well taken care of.
  • Provide excellent customer service, operate POS systems, maintain friendly but secure retail environment, track and manage inventory
  • Handle all customer relation issues in accordance with company policy and provide exceptional customer service to all CVS customers.
  • Receive SERVSAFE certification along with online management courses.
  • Execute store operations during schedule shifts, organize shift assignments and maintain consistent attendance and punctuality.
  • Show more

Team leader example responsibilities.

  • Manage ACD metrics and methodology, including reporting to Sr. Management.
  • Set the highest standards for achieving company s KPIs, and holding staff individually accountable thereof.
  • Lead and conduct daily port operations for all DOD cargo transiting through the state of Florida.
  • Manage inventory and stock groceries, clothes and office supplies, handle supplies requests, revise logbook.
  • Implement multiple tools and utilities (KaiZen ideas) to optimize and automate various processes across the projects.
  • Manage online tasks, delegate and oversee responsibilities and projects, work with HTML coding, and update site content.
  • Show more

Shift manager vs team leader skills

Common shift manager skills
  • Cleanliness, 35%
  • Inventory Management, 13%
  • Management, 10%
  • Leadership, 5%
  • Customer Service, 3%
  • Help Support, 3%
Common team leader skills
  • Customer Service, 26%
  • Ladders, 9%
  • Patients, 6%
  • Sales Floor, 6%
  • PET, 5%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%

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