What is the role of HR in succession planning?

The role of HR in succession planning primarily involves supporting development and profile management. This means that HR is responsible for identifying potential leaders within the organization and ensuring that they receive the necessary training, development opportunities, and experiences to prepare them for future roles. HR also plays a key role in creating and maintaining profiles of employees, which helps in understanding skills, aspirations, and competencies that align with future organizational needs.

Succession planning is a proactive process, and having HR support this initiative is critical to align talent management strategies with the organization's long-term goals. HR also facilitates discussions between leadership and potential successors about career paths and necessary development.

In contrast, directly managing all promotions is typically a responsibility that falls to management rather than HR alone, as promotions often involve departmental considerations. While HR may assist in creating performance reviews, this task is part of a broader performance management system rather than exclusive to succession planning. Similarly, handling employee grievances pertains to conflict resolution and employee relations rather than the forward-looking focus of succession planning.