Succession Planning and Developing Future Workforces

You would have read in our recent blog, that 82% of managers enter into a management role without any form of management training or qualifications. These managers are referred to as “accidental managers”.

For organisations, succession planning can be an essential aspect of developing your business. Many employees will have potential to undertake other roles and responsibilities, and develop their career within the company.

The cost of recruitment is high, and promoting and developing staff internally is a much more cost-effective way of developing internal talent and managing the costs associated with recruitment activities.

For younger staff entering the workforce, there are many options available. One of the most common of these is apprenticeships. Many organisations take on apprentices, who are able to develop skills in the workplace, alongside undertaking formal training at college and gaining a qualification.

There is a range of government funding available to support organisations who employ apprentices, and this is something you may be interested in considering in your company to develop skills and aid recruitment into specialist roles.

Although it is a common myth that apprenticeships are available for younger workers, that is not true. There is no age barrier to apprenticeships, and these are available to younger staff, those entering the workforce, as well as individuals of any age, or those already employed.

In the UK there is currently a challenge relating to the number of young people (aged 16-24) who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), which is currently at its highest level since 2014.

There are many negative associations for young people who become NEET, including isolation from peers, damaged confidence and aspirations, and increases in mental health concerns. It can also damage their employment prospects, earnings potential and wellbeing.

How do you manage succession planning within your organisations?

There are a number of options available which can enhance progression planning, including –

· One to one meetings

· Appraisals and reviews

· Action plans and development plans

· Job descriptions and career mapping

· Managers training

· Mentoring, coaching and developing

If you need any support with any aspect of succession planning or developing staff, please contact us on team@hrprime.co.uk.