Succession planning is one of the most frequently cited organizational priorities of human resource management for the coming years. It can be defined as a systematic process of identifying, assessing and developing employees to take over key roles in the organization. It must be interconnected to other areas of HR management and the organization such as talent management, organizational memory, organizational continuity, motivation, engagement and retention of employees, and organizational development.
It is no holy grail of HR or business planning. Organizations that are able to identify their future needs and develop strategies to address those needs will, however, win a demonstrable competitive advantage. They will also be able to react with more flexibly and speed, grow faster and exploit new business opportunities. Succession planning should not only involve HR, but of all managers. The role of HR is to support management in the creation of plans for future leaders and developing the potential of their employees. The following ten commandments of successful succession planning were originally published on HR Zone.
1. Every succession plan must conform to the medium and long term business strategy of an organization.
2. HR controls the process, but the support and involvement of senior management is crucial.
3. Search for talent both within and outside your company.
4. Succession planning does not mean only shifting talent vertically upward, but also horizontally in the organization.
5. The organization has to perceive its people as the founders of its future success. Talents can achieve the business objectives.
6. Do not assess only current performance, but the overall potential of employees.
7. The same way you search for talent outside the company, look inside the company, but outside your department or the team when it is necessary to replace someone.
8. Ensure that your succession plan is clear, visible and all employees know about it.
9. From the perspective of HR services, succession planning should be a key part of managing employee engagement and should also be linked to recruitment, training and performance evaluation.
10. Identify key roles in the organization and ensure succession plans for each of these roles.
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