Succession Planning And Its Importance At The Workplace

Contrary to general perceptions that succession planning works only with large organizations, it is important to understand that mid-sized organizations also need proper succession planning. A business that has some kind of organizational structure with employees working under leaders and management, needs succession planning. To put this in perspective, even family-run businesses have succession planning. In the opinion of Anand Mishra, “SMBs in developing nations are typically family-run affairs that evolve with the times”. The changes within the SMBs are more likely in terms of the technology used, the workplace practices and the nature of products or services offered. But for all practical purposes, and barring a few exceptions, most SMBs are likely to have someone from the family at the helm of the affairs.

This is succession planning at an informal level. It is the same succession planning that is required in organizations that have employees working and reporting to management. Employees are either passive job seekers or active job seekers. The difference is mainly in the manner in which an employee looks for better job opportunities. An active job seeker is one who will constantly look for a better opportunity, which could also be a result of a perceived lack of opportunity in the organization. A passive job seeker would not typically actively look for or an opportunity but would be willing or interested to consider a good opportunity. Despite this difference that separates an active or passive job seeker, the fact remains that both categories would remain with the organization if given a suitable opportunity.

An employee who is groomed within the enterprise to take up a possibly bigger role and opportunity at a future stage is certainly not going to be an active job seeker or respond to an opportunity as a passive job seeker. Any employee who believes that he or she has a reasonable opportunity to go up the ladder will find greater job satisfaction and will certainly exhibit greater engagement levels. The opportunity to look forward to a bigger role is by itself a great motivator. In addition to motivating the employee, succession planning also has a positive effect on other employees. This trickle-down effect will boost the morale of the employees within the organization and employees look forward to the opportunity of moving up within their teams.

Employees generally tend to view an organization that cares for their future, in a positive manner. An employee who finds that plans are afoot to groom employees to take up bigger roles and positions will certainly want to be considered. In other words, the effort at the workplace is bound to witness changes. Succession planning also ensures that operations are managed smoothly without any interruptions due to the lack of leadership or gaps in the organization structure. And most importantly one of the positive effects of succession planning as highlighted here is the ability to have the right person at the right position at the right time. Succession planning involves not only a series of psychometric tests but training and leadership development which will help the employees to handle situations and scenarios in the most efficient manner.