Every work role can become vacant at any time, either for planned or for unanticipated reasons. The purpose of the succession planning system is to avoid or reduce the problems this situation may cause, especially when the vacancy is unexpected.

Usually, succession planning is limited to a group of work roles in the organization. These normally comprise those in the third organizational level from the bottom and upwards, as well as specialist positions at the second level. The action taken is to identify a potential replacement candidate for each of these roles.

This replacement candidate must be in conditions to take the position immediately with a level of performance that will ensure the normal continuation of the work process as a minimum.

The selection process for these potential replacements is the same as for the selection of internal candidates for work roles. See page SELECTION OF INTERNAL CANDIDATES.

A system related to succession planning is the identification of emergency step-in candidates. It is often useful to identify not only a permanent replacement, but also candidates who can keep things going temporarily. These include persons capable of performing the basic, short-term tasks of the roles until the return of the role incumbent or the appointment of a qualified candidate.

The difference between succession planning and emergency step-in systems is that the requirements both of skilled knowledge and of potential capability are higher in the former system than in the latter.

Our services in this area consist of the implementation of the succession planning and emergency step-in systems. The process includes all the required documentation and the specification of the respective accountabilities of the management line and of the human resources unit in the processes.

The evaluation of current potential capability plays a primary role in the case of succession planning.


Go to page THE SELECTION OF INTERNAL CANDIDATES
Go to page THE EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL CAPABILITY
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