White Papers
Kenexa White Papers are reports that are based on research and are used to educate HR professionals and business executives on specific areas in the Human Capital Management (HCM) space. These papers address relevant, widespread organizational concerns and guide readers in organizational decision making. The overall purpose of each Kenexa White Paper is to focus on the current needs of companies by educating and advocating for a specific position that will help drive high performance in the organization.
Getting Ahead with Succession Planning
By Jeff Weekley, Ph.D., Executive Consultant, Kenexa
Traditional succession planning often starts with a mandate from the CEO to develop a plan. The HR professional given the assignment often begins with his/her baseline of knowledge, usually supplemented with some benchmarking of other firms’ processes, and begins to set up the necessary meetings. Data is gathered in advance and forms prepared. Once all of the review meetings have taken place, the HR executive prepares the final succession plan complete with replacement charts, developmental plans for “high potentials,” and other similar outputs. After review with the CEO and, sometimes, the board of directors, the plan assumes its customary place on the shelf where it gathers dust until roughly the same time next year. If this sounds familiar, then read on.