SUCCESSION PLANNING

Presented by:
Cheryl Zimmerman, SPHR
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Denver Service Center
 AGENDA
“Putting the Pieces Together”
• External Scan
• The What and Why
of Succession
Planning
• Human Capital
• Succession Planning
Steps and Models
• OPM’s Partnership
and Services
• Keys to Success
 The Aging of the Workforce
(September 30, 1998)
Age 31-40
402,304 (25%)
Age 30 or
112,229 (7%)
Less

Age 60 or Over
93,189 (6%)

Age 41-44
229,680 (14%)

Age 55-59
159,588 (10%)

Age 50-54
Age 45-49 300,820 (18%)
330,958 (20%)
Source: U.S. OPM's Central Personnel Data File
 Fewer Federal Employees
• 430,000 fewer employees since 1990
– 23.6% reduction overall
– More than 300,000 fewer FTE work years
– Clerical jobs cut 31%
– Blue collar down 25%
– 30,000 fewer mgrs / sups
– SES goes from 8200 to 6985 -14.8%
– DC area jobs down 51,000 -16%
 Trends Affecting Employee
Recruitment & Retention
• Faster!
• Global Competition
• Entrepreneurs & Free Agents
• Options
• Mass Customization
• The Office: Home Sweet Home
CHALLENGE: How will your agency
meet these challenges?
High quality leadership
Career Development / Training
Exciting, meaningful assignments
Contribution to the organization
Challenge
Cutting edge
Upward Mobility
Quality of Life
RETENTION MANAGERS
 WHAT IS SUCCESSION
PLANNING?

• Getting the right number of people with the

right skills, experiences, and competencies

in the right jobs at the right time.

 Why Succession Planning?
How Succession Planning Helps
Organizations
• Engages senior management in a disciplined
review of organizational talent
• Guides development activities of staff
• Brings HR systems into alignment
• Assures continuity of key positions / Avoids
transition problems
• Assures new managers are prepared for their jobs
• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)
• Focus on Organizational Effectiveness
 Investment in Human Capital
“Leading organizations understand that effectively
managing employees, or human capital, is essential
to achieving results. Only when the right people
are on board and provided the training, tools,
structures, incentives, and accountability to work
effectively is organizational success possible.”

Quote from GAO report: “Addressing High Risk

and Improving Performance and Accountability”
 Business Concept
RISK of not having a succession plan

• Will your agency have the right skill mix for

the future? Human Capital Challenge!
– If not, what will the cost to your agency be?
• Will your agency have the right leaders to
accomplish the mission?
– Visionary, creative, risk-taking, initiative,
technologically advanced
CHALLENGE: What is your Agency’s Plan
to meet the needs of the future?
 THE SUCCESSION PLAN
1. Workforce analysis and forecasting
2. Communications strategy
3. ID positions targeted for growth and
attrition
4. ID current and future competencies
5. ID and assess high potential employees
6. Conduct competency gap analysis
 THE SUCCESSION PLAN
7. Establish recruitment strategy and assessment
/ selection tools
8. Institute formal coaching and mentoring
(training and development)
9. Select for positions
10. Establish a retention plan
11. Evaluation / Measurement
 Succession Planning
Illustration
Supply Analysis
GAP Analysis
•Workforce analysis and trends
•Employee competencies
•Workforce demographics
 •Comparison of future
workforce competencies
with future needs
Solution Analysis
•Planning workforce
transition
•Current workload analysis •Employee
•Analysis of how
workforce demographics development and


will change
•ID of areas in which

retraining
•Changes in staffing
Demand Analysis management action will patterns
•Workforce knowledges, skills be needed to reach
and abilities to meet projected need workforce objectives
•Staffing patterns
•Anticipated programs and workload
changes
 Consultants?
• “Do I need outside assistance?”
• “Human Capital, Key Principles from
Private Sector Organizations”
-GAO report to Congress,
January 2000
 Why OPM can Help
• Leader in Human Resources Programs
– Responsible for over 3 million employees
– Leader in “Quality of Life” initiatives which
improve retention
– Variety of partnerships with government
entities.
 OPM Services for Succession
Planning
• Organizational assessment survey/focus
groups
• Preliminary data analysis/determine metrics
• Corporate image enhancement
• Recruitment strategies and training (pay
flexibilities)
• Organizational design and re-engineering
• Develop retention plan
 ..And Yet More OPM Services
for Succession Planning
• Conduct competency gap analysis
• Develop and pilot entrance and post-exit
surveys.
• Performance management advice and
expertise.
• Design of training and development
strategies.
• Review position descriptions, functional
statements, and crediting plans.
 Management Competency
Development
• Customized services to meet your needs
• Executive coaching on career exploration
and planning, resume preparation, ECQs.
• Develop strategies to identify high
performing leaders using a competency-
based approach, structured interviews, and
other customized HR products.
• Creation of leadership development /
mentoring programs.
 Other OPM Services
• Organizational Design and Reengineering
• Job Analysis & Examining
• HR Manager
• USA Careers
• Reduction-In-Force (RIF) Assistance
• Customized HR expertise based on your
needs, including personnel research
psychologists.
 Keys to Success
• Laying out a detailed implementation plan from the
beginning
(ID budget and resources required. START TODAY!)
• Involvement and buy-in from top management,
program managers, and human resource managers.
• Availability of accurate input data
• Good communication and marketing
• Employee Involvement
• Linkage of plan to other planning processes
• HR serves in a consulting role but management owns
the process
Choosing to be