Product Helps With Succession Planning

October 8, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Personnel managers looking for ways to cope with employee losses due to the nation's ageing workforce may want to consider a Web application from a Wayland, Massachusetts firm.

Softscape’s application that prepares people for advancement, whether vertically (up the chain of command) or horizontally (along a career ladder of increasing breadth and knowledge). The program blends replacement planning and talent pooling to provide access to critical data, by identifying all people eligible for promotion at each level, and by developing a strong bench of talent at all levels and positions.

The Softscape system also enables organizations to rapidly identify employees with high potential for success from position profiles, skill management, learning and development and performance management.

A recent Softscape survey of HR executives at more than 100 companies revealed that 44% do not have a succession program in place and that 70% “could improve their succession initiatives.” The survey also revealed that the greatest driver to automating a succession program is “mapping existing talent to future business strategy,” followed by the “upcoming retiring workforce” and “disaster or replacement planning.”

Workforce experts say large numbers of soon-to-be retiring Boomers could leave large employee gaps in some areas of the economy.

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