{"id":6466,"date":"2022-12-19T23:10:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T23:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&p=6466"},"modified":"2026-06-24T05:38:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T10:38:01","slug":"hr-role-in-succession-planning","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/talent-management\/succession-planning\/hr-role-in-succession-planning\/","title":{"rendered":"HR has key role to play in succession planning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Written by: <\/p>\n\n\n

Robert Teachout<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Share<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Succession planning is something that nearly every organization acknowledges is important to their ongoing success, but often do not act on until it is too late. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, although a 2021 report by the Corporate Leadership Council<\/a> found that 72% of organizations predict an uptick in leadership vacancies over the next three to five years, a study the same year by the Society for Human Resource Management<\/a> found that 56% of organizations said they did not have a succession plan in place. Fortunately, this is a situation that HR leaders can help resolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting started with succession planning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a Brightmine webinar, Succession Planning: Key to Protecting Your Business<\/a>, Laci Loew, Fellow, HR Analyst and People Scientist at the Global Curiosity Institute, spoke about what succession planning is, its benefits and how HR can get it started in an organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Succession planning is a long-term investment in a short-term world. Many find it challenging to devote attention to it before the time of need,” Loew said, pointing out that those who make the investment reap many business and talent benefits, “And HR has a clear role in the SP process.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“HR has a clear role in the succession planning process. And that is one of supporting leadership through the process.”<\/p>– Laci Loew, Fellow, HR Analyst and People Scientist, Global Curiosity Institute<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The business case in HR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When an organization is stuck at the start and has not made succession planning a priority, HR can get the ball rolling by making a strong business case<\/a> that explains the benefits of succession planning and the costs of failing to plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

HR also should brief the key decision makers on the process involved. “The solution likely lies in an approach that melds the data showcasing the costs of ignoring it with people-centric approaches to executing the process,” said Loew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the decision has been made to engage in the succession planning process, success depends on the organization’s senior leadership taking ownership and making it a business imperative to get the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time. And to do that, HR needs to step up to its critical role of supporting leadership through the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Executing within HR<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Loew explained that HR has several important tasks to perform to help make the planning and ongoing execution of succession planning a success, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n