What Is Succession Planning? | HR Glossary | BambooHR
Identifying and developing people to fill critical roles as they become vacant.
Succession planning is the process of identifying critical roles and preparing internal talent to step into them when they fall vacant, whether through promotion, retirement or departure. It reduces the disruption and risk of key roles being unexpectedly empty.
Effective succession planning maps the organisation's critical positions, assesses potential successors and their readiness, and builds targeted development to close gaps. Tools such as the nine-box grid support these talent conversations.
It is not only about the executive suite: business-critical technical and operational roles also warrant planning. Linking succession to development, mobility and retention turns it from a paper exercise into a living pipeline that strengthens organisational resilience.
