Article
Why workforce succession planning can’t wait
Aug. 22, 2025 · Authored by Caitlin M. Humrickhouse
In today’s public sector landscape, workforce succession planning strategy is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a fiscal and operational imperative.
Government leaders typically understand the basics of workforce succession planning, but many still underestimate the urgency and the financial impact of not acting decisively. With personnel costs easily consuming over 70% of a public entity’s total budget, managing your workforce strategically is one of the most powerful levers you have to protect your organization’s future.
The clock is ticking
The public sector is facing a perfect storm: an aging workforce, a surge in retirements post-COVID, and a labor market that’s increasingly difficult to navigate. Add to that the unpredictability of today’s environment, and the need for a proactive succession planning strategy becomes even more critical.
Make no mistake: this isn’t something to defer until next year — or even next quarter. For many roles, especially those requiring specialized skills or certifications, a well-executed succession planning strategy demands at least a two-year lead time to ensure a smooth transition. If you’re not already having these conversations, the best time to start is today.
Include all your positions
Leadership succession planning is just one part of a broader workforce strategy. Workforce succession planning isn’t only about preparing for leadership transitions — it’s about ensuring continuity across all levels, especially in roles critical to service delivery and revenue generation. Entry-level positions, often overlooked, can pose just as much risk if left unfilled or poorly transitioned.
Contrary to common misconceptions, succession planning — including for unionized positions — is not about pre-selecting individuals. It’s about building a pipeline of qualified candidates and creating clear career pathways across departments. When done well, leadership and workforce succession planning foster internal growth, help retain institutional knowledge, and reduce costly turnover. When employees see a future for themselves within your organization, they’re more likely to stay.
Examine the risks
Effective workforce succession planning starts with identifying your key positions — not just by title, but by function and impact. These are the roles that, if left vacant, would disrupt operations, increase liability or compromise service delivery. Keep in mind that these positions may be in leadership, but they could just as easily be in front-line services.
Once you’ve identified these roles, assess your exposure: Who’s eligible for retirement? Where are your highest turnover rates? Do you have multiple internal candidates ready to step up — or at least begin their development?
This is where data becomes your best ally. You need to know your numbers: Start with turnover by department and retirement eligibility. It’s even better if you can consider time to fill, time to hire, and insights from exit interviews and engagement surveys. With this foundation, you can conduct a workforce gap analysis and begin building a prioritized plan that’s both strategic and actionable.
Plan for uncertainty
In today’s environment, uncertainty is the only constant. The ability to adapt quickly — with a prepared bench of trained, capable staff — is a competitive advantage that public sector organizations can’t afford to ignore.
The economic and political environments will continue to cycle, but one thing is known: AI is reshaping how work gets done — and who does it. From automating routine tasks to changing the skillsets required for key roles, AI is a disruptive force that must be factored into your workforce succession planning.
With that in mind, it’s equally important to identify the skills and positions that don’t exist now but will be needed in the future. Focus on soft skills that will enable employees to drive innovative ways to incorporate AI at your organization. Include these skills when prioritizing key positions to ensure a comprehensive workforce succession planning approach.
Build the bench — and the budget
Workforce succession planning isn’t just about identifying who might step into a role — it’s about preparing them to succeed. That means defining core competencies, updating job descriptions, and using tools to assess performance and potential. It also means creating tailored training plans and budgeting for development, well in advance.
Training should be intentional and aligned with both individual development goals and organizational needs. By identifying competency gaps and building employee-specific action plans, you can ensure your future leaders are ready when the time comes. And by aggregating these needs across departments, you can build a strategic training program that maximizes your investment.
Of course, workforce succession planning isn’t a one-and-done initiative. It’s a cyclical process that should be revisited annually. As your organization evolves, so do your key positions, your internal talent pools and your external hiring environment. Regularly reviewing your talent bench, updating competencies, and assessing training effectiveness ensures your plan stays relevant and effective.
The good thing is that many of these steps can be integrated into existing human resource (HR) processes — performance reviews, job description updates, budget planning — to make workforce succession planning a natural part of your organizational rhythm.
Succession planning strategy
Discover moreClick through to access a curated collection of presentations, articles and actionable resources designed to help your organization build a future-ready workforce strategy today.
Why go it alone?
We offer scalable solutions tailored to your community’s size and needs. For smaller organizations, we help identify retirement risks, prioritize positions, and build simple, actionable plans. For larger entities, we conduct in-depth assessments, define core competencies, and deliver a comprehensive gap analysis across your talent lifecycle — from recruitment and employee development to retention.
After all, workforce succession planning isn’t just about preparing for the future. It’s about protecting your present. The risks are real, the costs are high, and the time to act is now. Take the right steps today to ensure your workforce strategy — including employee development and retention — is as strong as your mission.
Succession planning action checklist:
- Identify critical roles by function and impact, not just title
- Assess retirement risk and turnover trends across departments
- Analyze workforce data (e.g., time to hire, exit interviews, engagement scores)
- Map internal talent and evaluate readiness for advancement
- Define core competencies for key positions
- Create development plans tailored to individual and organizational needs
- Budget for training and leadership development early
- Incorporate AI and tech trends into future workforce scenarios
- Review and update your succession plan and leadership transition strategies annually
- Integrate planning into existing HR processes and performance reviews
