Did you know that 34% of the Federal civilian workforce is over 50 years old?* By 2003, over one third of the Federal workforce will be eligible for retirement. When one third of your workforce retires, who will replace these valuable, experienced employees? Downsizing has reduced the number of internal candidates, and when you consider normal attrition rates and the tight labor market; you can see your Human Resources department is going to be very busy.

Succession planning ensures that there are highly qualified people in all positions, not just today, but tomorrow, next year, and five years from now.

How Succession Planning Helps
Succession planning establishes a process that recruits employees, develops their skills and abilities, and prepares them for advancement, all while retaining them to ensure a return on the organization's training investment. Succession planning involves:

Understanding the organization's long-term goals and objectives
Identifying the workforce's developmental needs
Determining workforce trends and predictions

In the past, succession planning typically targeted only key leadership positions. In today's organizations, it is important to include key positions in a variety of job categories.

With good succession planning, employees are ready for new leadership roles as the need arises, and when someone leaves, a current employee is ready to step up to the plate. In addition, succession planning can help develop a diverse workforce, by enabling decision makers to look at the future make-up of the organization as a whole.

OPM Succession Planning Services

We can help you focus on a particular step in the succession-planning process, or work with you from start to finish. We can help your agency:

Develop a communication strategy
Identify expected vacancies
Determine critical positions
Identify current and future competencies for positions
Develop a recruitment strategy
Create assessment and selection tools
Supplement HR functions to include active recruiting and staffing
Identify gaps in current employee and candidate competency levels
Develop Individual Development Plans for employees
Develop and implement coaching and mentoring programs
Assist with leadership transition and development
Develop an evaluation plan for succession management

Getting Started

OPM can get you started with succession planning. We'll help you make priorities for your agency, and formulate a strategy for implementing or re-evaluating your succession plan. The results will undoubtedly include:

Better retention
Valuable training goals
Increased preparation for leadership
Greater employee satisfaction
Enhanced commitment to work and the workplace
Improved corporate image

For More Information

OPM's Employment Service can assist with all your human resource needs. Please contact your local OPM Service Center, visit our Web site at www.opm.gov/employ, or send email to esmarketing@opm.gov

*1998 OPM study