What Is a Succession Plan?

A succession plan is a structured approach that helps an organization anticipate the replacement of people in key positions and prepare employees who may eventually take on those responsibilities.

Succession planning is not simply about determining “who will replace whom.” Rather, it involves identifying critical positions, the skills required to ensure continuity and the actions needed to develop talent and transfer knowledge.

It is part of a broader workforce planning approach and helps organizations prepare for both expected and unexpected departures.

Why Implement a Succession Plan?

The departure of a key employee can have a significant impact on an organization, particularly when that person has specialized expertise, extensive operational knowledge or important relationships with clients and partners.

A succession plan can help:

• Anticipate retirements and other foreseeable departures.
• Reduce the risks associated with losing critical knowledge.
• Identify and develop internal talent.
• Prepare employees to take on new responsibilities.
• Support business continuity when someone leaves.
• Encourage internal mobility and professional development.

Succession planning therefore allows an organization to prepare before a strategic position becomes vacant.

Which Positions Should Be Included in a Succession Plan?

A succession plan does not necessarily need to cover every position within the organization.

The first step is generally to identify key or vulnerable positions. These may include:

• A position that is essential to the organization’s operations.
• A role requiring expertise that is difficult to replace.
• A position held by someone whose departure or retirement is foreseeable.
• A position that is particularly difficult to fill in the labour market.
• A role involving critical knowledge or strategic relationships.

A key position is not necessarily a management position. Certain professional, technical or specialized roles can be just as important to maintaining business continuity.

What Are the Main Steps in Succession Planning?

The process can vary depending on the organization’s size, structure and needs.

It generally includes the following steps:

1. Identify key positions and areas of vulnerability.
2. Determine the essential skills associated with these positions.
3. Identify internal talent that could potentially move into certain roles.
4. Assess skills gaps between future needs and current capabilities.
5. Develop employees through training, mentoring or expanded responsibilities.
6. Prepare for knowledge transfer when departures can be anticipated.
7. Review the plan regularly to ensure it remains aligned with the organization’s evolving needs.

A succession plan therefore becomes a management tool that connects the organization’s future needs with employee development.

Should One Person Be Identified for Each Position?

Not necessarily.

An organization can identify several employees who have the potential to develop the skills required to eventually move into a key position.

The objective is not to promise a specific position to one person, but rather to develop a talent pool that can respond to the organization’s future needs.

This approach also provides greater flexibility, since organizational needs, positions and employees’ career aspirations can change over time.

What Role Does Knowledge Transfer Play?

Knowledge transfer is often an important component of succession planning.

When someone has developed significant expertise over many years, replacing that person involves more than transferring a list of tasks.

It may also be necessary to transfer knowledge related to processes, clients, partners, tools, the history behind certain decisions or specific aspects of the organization.

Knowledge transfer can take different forms, including mentoring, process documentation, job shadowing, training or a transition period during which another employee gradually assumes additional responsibilities.

What Is the Difference Between a Succession Plan and a Workforce Plan?

The two approaches are closely related, but their scope is different.

A workforce plan generally provides a broader view of an organization’s current and future staffing needs. It can help anticipate future workforce and skills requirements.

A succession plan, on the other hand, focuses more specifically on ensuring continuity in key positions and developing people who may eventually move into those roles.

Succession planning can therefore be part of a broader workforce planning strategy.

What Is the Relationship Between Succession Planning and Internal Mobility?

Succession planning can also support internal mobility.

When an organization has a better understanding of its employees’ skills, potential and career aspirations, it can more easily identify opportunities for internal development and movement.

An employee can gradually develop the skills needed to take on greater responsibilities or move into another role.

This approach helps the organization prepare for future workforce needs while providing employees with opportunities for professional development.

How Often Should a Succession Plan Be Reviewed?

A succession plan should not be considered a static document.

Employees develop, organizational structures change, new positions emerge and business priorities evolve.

The plan should therefore be reviewed regularly and when significant changes occur, such as a restructuring, rapid growth, an announced departure or a major change in the responsibilities associated with a position.

In Summary

A succession plan helps an organization anticipate departures affecting key positions and develop the skills needed to maintain business continuity.

The process can help identify vulnerable positions, develop internal talent and organize the transfer of critical knowledge.

It can also support internal mobility, employee development and better planning for future workforce needs.

Working with an HR consultant can help an organization identify key positions, assess future workforce needs and develop a succession plan adapted to its reality.