Developing and maintaining a leadership and talent pipeline makes the list of top concerns in executive surveys year after year. This report examines data from companies around the world to determine how well those organizations are identifying, assessing and developing succession planning programs. It also suggests action plans to help your company learn how to improve your talent management processes.

1. State of Succession
Planning Report
Are you doing enough to
identify and develop talent
to build bench strength?

2. “The benefits of a successful program are
broad – from reduced time to fill critical
positions and reduced turnover costs, to cost
improvements in developing high-potentials
and enhanced competitive advantage.”
Dr. William J. Rothwell
President of Rothwell & Associates,
renowned Succession Planning author

3. Succession planning ≠ Replacement planning
Succession planning
• Focuses on talent
development
• Strategic
• Long-term solution
Replacement planning
• Identifies short-term
replacements
• Tactical
• Stopgap measure

4. Yet 21% of organizations have
no succession management of
any kind in place.*
By not addressing succession
planning, companies risk losing
top performers, endangering
business continuity plans and
hurting their bottom line.
* Bersin & Associates Succession Management Maturity Model®
Developing a talent pipeline and leadership readiness make
the list of top concerns in executive surveys from Harvard
Business Review, PWC, Deloitte and Gartner year after year.
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5. It’s too
costly and
complicated
We’re too
small to
need one
We have a
replacement
plan instead
We don’t
know where
to start Management
doesn’t think
it’ll work
Why companies put off succession planning
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6. The goal of the State of Succession
Planning Report:
to provide a big picture view of
the state of succession planning
programs as well as guidance
for improvement.
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7. The State of Succession Planning Report:
Measures four dimensions of succession planning programs:
Identification Assessment
Development Management
Assesses 600+ organizations worldwide
Compares succession planning strategies
with established best practices
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8. The results:
Organizations are not doing enough to identify and
develop talent to fill key positions.
Overall average
succession planning
intelligence score: 48%
48%
Based on a survey of
600+ organizations
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9. Dimension 1: identification
Identification of succession planning needs, linking
needs to goals, and linking goals to strategic vision
Average rating: 49% (FAIL)
Based on a survey of
600+ organizations
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10. • Confusion among senior leaders about intended results
and strategic goal alignment
• Outdated succession planning program
• Unclear profile of the ideal person for key role or
leadership position
• Ineffective or unmeasurable competency models
A low identification score may indicate:
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11. Using the identification elements to assess needs and
individual/department promotion potential
Average rating: 47% (FAIL)
Dimension 2: assessment
Based on a survey of
600+ organizations
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12. A low assessment score may indicate a need to:
• Strengthen or extend competency models as a
strategic foundation for talent management
• Leverage competency models to communicate
expectations, build organizational culture and
cultivate strengths
• Establish an objective means to assess an individual’s
promotion potential and readiness
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13. Working with individuals to shrink the development
gaps, and moving forward to help each area develop
talent pools
Average rating: 49% (FAIL)
Dimension 3: development
Based on a survey of
600+ organizations
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14. A low development score could signify a need to:
• Find out what motivates employees to develop their
skills and abilities
• Develop a plan for closing development gaps so people
are ready for promotion
• Create ways to hold people accountable for their
own development
• Establish a system to prepare high-potential employees
for future responsibility
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15. Actively keeping senior management, department-level
management, and individuals appraised of progress;
encouraging participation in succession planning
programming; and evaluating the program and responding
to needed changes
Average rating: 47% (FAIL)
Dimension 4: management
Based on a survey of
600+ organizations
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16. A low management dimension result may
indicate a need for:
• Ownership of the succession planning program by senior
leaders, not HR
• Communication of roles and responsibilities on a regular basis
• Accountability among managers to develop future talent
• Identification of potential talent and a process to gather and
aggregate that information
• Evaluation of your succession planning program against
measurable goals
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17. Your workforce is your organization’s only sustainable
competitive advantage and the most critical means to
achieve your company’s strategic goals.
You must take steps to hire,
retain and engage the best
employees you can.
strategy
goals
workforce
development
analysis
repeat
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18. How does your
organization
measure up?
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Learn how to set up your organization
for #SuccessionPlanning success.
www.halogensoftware.com
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