Demystifying Succession Planning

August 13, 2025 | Allison Budzinski, A.C. Rothenbuecher

The public health workforce is experiencing ongoing retirements and staff turnover — challenges often outside of agency control. Rather than reactively filling vacancies, agencies are turning to succession planning as a proactive strategy to develop future leaders and retain institutional knowledge. This long-term, transparent approach strengthens agency culture and builds resilience.  

This brief explains succession planning and provides resources to help agencies implement this vital retention strategy.  

What is Succession Planning?

Succession planning is a strategic, continuous, and multi-phase process that develops talent at all levels of an agency. Succession planning focuses on cultivating employees already part of the agency and preparing them to take on a range of critical roles across the agency. This transparent planning process preserves institutional knowledge and also supports individual career growth for all staff.

Key features: 

• Takes 12–36 months to implement, according to experts. 
• Should be integrated into an agency’s workforce development plan. 
• Identifies mission-critical roles and the competencies needed to support strategic goals. 
• Uses workforce data and trends to inform planning. 
• Provides structured development for individuals with leadership potential. 

Succession Planning is not…

• A one-time event. 
• Simply identifying someone to fill a vacancy. 
• Secretive or informal. 
• A substitution for transparent and fair hiring practices. 

What is the Difference Between Succession Planning and Replacement Planning?

Replacement planning focuses on identifying short- and long-term backups for key roles, especially in emergencies or unplanned departures. These backups may have the necessary skills, but lack experience in the specific organizational environment. It assumes the organizational structure remains stable. Agencies typically identify two to three potential replacements per role.  This is a common short-term strategy in public health agencies to ensure basic continuity.

By contrast, succession planning is a developmental strategy that equips staff with mentorship and training to grow into a future role when it becomes available. Rather than naming a backup, succession planning fosters a transparent pipeline for growth into a vertical or lateral position change. Stretch-opportunities and cross-training drive the preparation process. As this strategy is not always feasible, replacement planning occurs at a higher frequency.