CAREER PLANNING

INTRODUCTION
Organizations in the modern days are undergoing heavy transformation in
the wake of industrialization and globalization. Organization management is
giving more thrust in understanding and developing the employees. The career
needs of the employees have to be taken care by the organizations. This involves
the careful assignment of an individual to positions that provide her or him with
opportunities for deploying the competencies needed for a more challenging
position.
Career Planning Vs Succession Planning
A succession plan is a plan for identifying who is currently in post and who is
available and qualified to take over in the event of retirement, voluntary
retirement, dismissal or sickness. The purpose of succession planning is to
identify and develop people to replace current job holders in key positions.
Through succession planning, companies assure a steady flow of internal talent
to fill important vacancies. Succession Planning encourages hiring from within
and creates a healthy environment where employees have careers and not
merely jobs. Succession planning helps in identifying human resource shortages
and skill shortages. It guides to groom qualified candidates for further vacancies.
The organization thus, is assured of continuity of operation and better qualified
incumbents. The replacement chart is a visual representation of who will
replace whom if there is a job opening.
The terms career planning and succession planning are not identical, but
they are similar.
Succession planning is generally needed for key positions at higher
levels, while career planning covers executives at all levels including
high skilled employees and operatives.
Career planning, by its very nature, includes succession planning. The
career paths for executives are identified. In case of a vacancy arising
at any level, the career plan is well supported by a succession chart.
Both are thus complementary and interdependent.
Need for Career Planning
1. Satisfies every employee has a desire to grow and scale new heights in
his workplace continuously.
2. Help to exploit the potential to the fullest extent.
3. He feels highly motivated when the organization shows him a clear
path as to how he can meet his personal ambitions while trying to
realize corporate goals.
4. Absence of Career Planning can cause negative effects in Organisation
a. When recognition does not come in time for meritorious
performance and a certain amount of confusion prevails in the
minds of employees whether they are in with a chance to grow

b.
c.
d.
e.

or not, they look for greener pastures outside. Key executives

leave in frustration and the organization suffers badly
when turnover figures rise.
Employees do not get right breaks at a right time; their morale
will be low and they are always trying to find escape routes.
Organizations face high employee turnover.
A new employee brings in additional selection and training
costs.
Bridging the gaps through short term replacements is not
going to pay in terms of productivity.