Integrity HR’s Succession Plan Implementation Checklist:

1. Have a plan. Before planning the succession of key personnel, you need to know where you want to go. Define your company’s mission, vision, values, goals and objectives.

2. Evaluate your current situation. See that your current business processes and organizational focus are aligned with your vision and plan. But remember to stay flexible and plan for change!

3. Identify key positions. Prepare a list of all the positions for which succession plans are necessary or helpful. For each key position develop lists of skills & abilities, required knowledge, and attitudes. These lists will help your narrow down your internal talent pool in the next step.

4. Identify internal talent. Assess your internal talent pool first and identify your high-potential employees. Look at the history of your hires and promotions and see if you can identify natural career development paths. Can you alter the structure to create paths?

5. Document! Document! Document! Documentation of policy, procedures, plans, activities, etc. is the best way to capture and preserve the “institutional knowledge” that will be lost when key people depart. Make documents and procedures available to the people who replace those who depart.

Interested in learning more about succession planning? Click here to read the full blog on our website.