Effective communication in succession planning can significantly improve employee retention and the success of succession programs, according to a new guide released today by global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company.
The “Succession Planning Conversations Guide” is designed to help HR professionals educate those communicating with succession candidates and their managers on how to effectively inform and support these individuals. The guide emphasizes that a well-designed succession plan is insufficient without intentional and well-executed communication.
According to McLean & Company survey data, 47 per cent of exiting employees cite opportunities for career advancement as having a moderate or major effect on their decision to leave an organization, or as their primary reason for leaving.
“Well-executed communication with succession candidates is critical to program success for a variety of reasons, but most notably because it improves retention of succession candidates and adequately prepares them for the organization’s most critical roles,” said Kelly Berte, practice lead of HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. “Effective succession planning conversations provide the opportunity for the organization to share the rationale behind succession planning decisions. When employees feel as though they understand decision-making, especially around changes that directly impact them, trust is increased and the risk of employees developing their own—sometimes potentially negative—perceptions is reduced.”
The guide complements McLean & Company’s “Design a High-Value Succession Planning Program” research and provides HR leaders with guidance on preparing communicators to tailor succession conversations for employees at various readiness levels. It outlines steps for identifying communicators responsible for facilitating succession conversations, outlining their accountabilities, and communicating people manager responsibilities.
The firm advises that communicators should share messages with empathy, anticipate a variety of reactions, and proactively address retention concerns. People managers, regardless of whether they are the identified communicators, are accountable for supporting the development of succession candidates on their team and maintaining overall team dynamics.
McLean & Company underscores the importance of intentionally selecting the level of transparency in succession planning conversations to experience the benefits of effective communication.