HR Manager Salary in South African Rands
In the evolving landscape of South African business, human resource managers play a huge role in looking after people-centric strategies. They manage and support employees within the organization and work on talent acquisition and organizational development. Furthermore, The role of an HR manager has become vital for every organization, making us curious about how much they earn in South Africa.
The job of an HR manager is financially rewarding and is around 70% higher than South Africa’s National average salary. Moreover, the average base salary of an HR manager in South Africa is R29744 per month. So, join me as I uncover the details behind an HR manager’s salary and the various factors behind its variation.
Human Resource Management Salary in South Africa
The job of an HR manager is financially attractive and has multiple multiple additional benefits apart from the decent amount of monthly pay. For instance, they can have medical aid and pension funds. Moreover, the average base salary of an HR manager in South Africa is R29744 per month.
Additionally, their average salary per hour is R180, R2456 per day, R7686 per week, and R420098 per year. So, it is a high-paying job; however, with great benefits comes great responsibilities.
HR Manager Salary in America
One of the fastest-growing careers in America is human resources. Financially, it can be the most rewarding career and has room for personal growth and longevity. So, you can reach an executive-level job within an organization in the same field.
The average base salary of an HR manager in America is $34.57 per hour, $359 per day, $1477 per week, $5715 per month, and $80,724 per year. Moreover, it converts to around R107,698 per month which is a huge amount as compared to the average base monthly salary of R29744 in South Africa.
With increasing demand for the job, the salaries have also increased over the years. Moreover, as an HR manager, you can earn a minimum of R22070 per month and a maximum of R108640 or more per month.
Exploring Salary Variations for HR Managers in South Africa
The increase and decrease in salaries depends mostly on the experience of an individual in the given field. An experienced HR manager is always preferred and paid well by every organization as their skills and knowledge increase over the years. So, let’s look at the different levels of experience and the increase in the yearly wages.
| Work experience | HR Manager Salary |
| 0 to 4 years | R286,000 per year |
| 5 to 9 years | R384,844 per year |
| 10 to 15 years | R465,661 per year |
| 15 to 20 years | R900,000 per year |
| 20+ years | R1.8 million per year |
Similarly, the salaries also depend on your geographic location. For instance, you can make more money as an HR manager in one city than the other. So, allow me to share the difference in salaries of HR managers in different cities.
| City | HR Manager Salary |
| Edenvale, Gauteng | R586,156 per year |
| Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape | R519,025 per year |
| Epping, Western Cape | R512,350 per year |
| Cape Town, Western Cape | R493,290 per year |
| Johannesburg, Gauteng | R456,717 per year |
| Pretoria, Gauteng | R422,071 per year |
| Durban, Kwazulu-Natal | R350,084 per year |
| Killarney Gardens, Western Cape | R336,349 per year |
| Bloemfontein, Free state | R264,394 per year |
Kindly note that these are the average base salaries based on the reported salaries. The exact amount of money an HR manager earns can be different from the above-given table. However, these figures will give you an overview of the average salary of an HR manager in South Africa.
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage
Like any other profession, HR managers’ salaries are increased every year or every 20 months. The national average annual increment for all professions is 8% every 18 months. However, HR managers get a slightly bigger increment of 12% every 20 months.
What Does an HR Manager do?
The HR managers usually manage the human resources department. Their main task is to keep a check on the organization’s employees and ensure that they are supported, productive, and aligned with the organization’s goals and values. Moreover, they are responsible for watching over the recruitment process which includes everything from creating job descriptions and posting vacancies to conducting interviews.
An HR manager of an organization helps the new employees in onboarding and orientation by introducing them to the company’s culture, policies, and procedures. Similarly, one of the main tasks of an HR manager is to ensure a positive work environment by resolving conflicts between employees and management. They help in promoting open communication between them and entertain employees’ grievances and issues.
Additionally, they are responsible for managing the employees’ benefits programs like health insurance and retirement plans and educating and assisting them on related issues. HR managers also manage the payroll process, keep a constant record of employees’ salaries and ensure that they are paid accurately. Moreover, they monitor the organization’s practices and check if it complies with the labor laws and regulations.
Variables Impacting HR Managers’ Compensation in South Africa
A single entity or authority does not control the salaries of HR managers, rather it is determined by several factors. Every organization has its pay structure for its employees, and the difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries is around 7% in South Africa. So, let’s analyze the key determinants that shape an HR manager’s salary in South Africa.
Experience
Experience is the most demanding factor on an HR manager’s CV because, with experience, employees can learn more skills and knowledge of the practical application of whatever they learned during their degree. Therefore, a significant difference exists between an experienced HR manager’s salary and a new employee. For instance, an HR manager with 0 to 1 year of experience can earn a maximum of R208,126 per year; however, someone with 20+ years of experience can earn a maximum of 2.9 billion per year if they are employed by a large company.
Similarly, if you gain five years of experience in your field, you can expect a rise of 30% of your base salary. Suppose you have gained 10 to 15 years of experience; your salary will be increased by 21%. Moreover, 15 to 20 years of experience results in a 9% increase, and 20+ years of experience can give you a 5% rise in your monthly wage.
Qualification
Advanced degrees in this field can also be key determinants in increasing your salary. For example, if you gain 5+ years of experience and have a Master’s degree, your salary will be increased by 39%, and if you do not have a Master’s degree, it will be increased by 30% only. Moreover, with an increase in demand for HR managers in the market, people are more inclined towards this field, which increases the competition, so advanced degrees will also give you an upper hand during the recruitment process.
Additionally, the geographic location of your workplace plays a big role in determining your salary major cities and metropolitan areas will give you a higher salary than other cities. Some industries like finance and technology also pay more comparatively.
Gender also has an effect on the salaries of an HR manager. For instance, a male HR manager earns 8% more than a female HR manager of the same expertise. Similarly, other factors like market trends, company size, and skills also shape HR managers’ salaries in South Africa.
What do HR managers earn in South Africa?
The average base salary of an HR manager in South Africa is R29744, much higher than the set minimum wage in South Africa.
What is the minimum salary of an HR manager in South Africa?
The entry-level HR managers have little to no experience and, therefore, earn a minimum salary of R765,549 per year.
Is the job of an HR manager well-paying in South Africa?
Yes, an HR manager earns 70% more than South Africa’s National average salary. Moreover, they can earn an average base salary of R29744 per month.
What does an HR manager do in South Africa?
An HR manager is responsible for handling labor disputes, solving and entertaining employees’ issues and grievances, keeping a check on the recruitment process, and developing and initiating training and orientation for new employees.
Is an HR management job in demand in South Africa?
Yes, in South Africa, HR professionals are in high demand, and this field is a highly lucrative career option for those students who are looking for a well-paying career. Moreover, human resources (HR) is an important part of every organization, so almost every organization offers HR management jobs.
What skills do you need to be an HR manager?
HR managers have a ton of great responsibilities which means they need more than just qualification to be successful in their careers. Therefore, an HR manager should have good communication skills, decision-making skills, organizational skills, business management skills, leadership skills, finance skills, and empathy.
In a nutshell, HR managers are an important asset of an organization because they deal with people-centric issues and strategies. Moreover, an HR manager has a variety of responsibilities, from recruiting and hunting new talent to promoting open communication between employees and employers to create a positive work environment. Therefore, their average salaries are R420,098 annually which is higher than the national average salaries in South Africa.
