Section outline

  • What is Succession Planning? 

    "Succession planning is the process of identifying very important positions in the organization and creating a talent pipeline by preparing employees to fill vacancies in their organization as others retire or move on. A successor is an employee with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to fill a vacant position until a permanent replacement can be identified." (NIH, 2021) 

    SOURCE: Office of Human Resources, National Institutes of Health. (2021). Succession planning: A step-by-step guide.

    Succession planning is both a workforce planning and business continuity strategy that helps health departments maintain essential services during staff transitions while preparing employees for future opportunities. It ensures work continues in the event of a staff departure while also providing a way to mitigate workforce shortages. Succession planning is simply a way to make sure the work keeps going, even if someone retires, change roles, or leaves the organization. It is not just about picking the “next person in line”.  Succession planning is about thinking ahead, having open conversations across the organization, and helping individuals on your team grow so they are ready for future opportunities. Succession planning is important for all employees, not only for leadership roles. It is a strategy for keeping the whole workforce strong and stable.  

    Why is Succession Planning Important?

    Succession planning helps prevent workforce gaps. When someone retires, takes a new role, or leaves the organization, their knowledge and skills go with them. That loss can affect both strategy and day-to-day work. By putting succession planning into practice, organizations can hold on to valuable expertise (known as knowledge transfer), reduce turnover, and boost employee satisfaction. Succession planning can help health departments create an actionable roadmap for career advancement among all employees. Creating a pipeline of future leaders is a foundational goal of succession planning. At its core, it identifies the people who have the potential to succeed, then places them in necessary training and mentorship positions, cultivating their leadership skills. 
     

    What Are the Advantages of Success Planning?

    Succession planning brings a lot of benefits for health departments. Some of the key advantages include: 

    • Building workforce sustainability – ensures the department can keep moving forward, even during staff changes. 

    • Preparing for staff transitions – equips both frontline and leadership positions. 

    • Aligning people with organizational needs – connects talent development directly to the department’s goals. 

    • Strengthening recruitment – guides how the department attracts and develops new staff. 

    • Supporting public health accreditation efforts– demonstrates proactive planning and stability. 

    And there may be others specific to your organization. 

    • More on the Advantages of Success Planning Page
    • The Six Steps of Succession Planning Page
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        Case Study: Prairie Valley Health Department

        To put your new skills into practice, you will follow along with a fictional case study that illustrates each of the six succession planning steps as you learn them.  

        Throughout these modules, you will follow the fictional Prairie Valley Public Health Department (PVPHD) as it implements each of the six steps of succession planning.  Each module builds on the previous one, allowing you to follow Prairie Valley's succession planning journey as it unfolds. Rather than viewing each step in isolation, you'll see how decisions made early in the process influence later discussions, ultimately resulting in a practical succession plan. 

        Although Prairie Valley is fictional, the situations, challenges, and decisions reflect those commonly faced by public health departments. As you work through the modules, consider how each step could be adapted to fit your own organization.

        COMING SOON: Case Study Intro Video