Navigating Pennsylvania's Dynamic Workforce: Succession Planning in a Complex Environment

Abstract

Authors' note:The authors would like to acknowledge the helpful contributions to this article by Daniel Ray, who is a human resource analyst in the Workforce Planning and Performance Division of the Pennsylvania Governor's Office of Administration.Through its workforce and succession planning efforts, Pennsylvania is committed to proactively identifying, preparing for and maintaining pools of well-trained and motivated state government employees to assume critical positions of leadership. But the concept of leadership extends beyond senior-level positions within agencies. The goal in Pennsylvania is to improve leadership capabilities in every work unit and to encourage all employees to use their skills to build stronger teams. Leadership at all levels means equipping employees with the tools, skills and expectations to communicate effectively and foster leadership at every organizational level. Leadership at all levels ensures that no lack of business continuity results from staff departures such as retirements, resignations, promotions or reassignments or other situations in which an individual is unable to or unwilling to continue his or her role within an organization.As a follow-up to the case study "Pennsylvania's Changing Workforce: Planning Today With Tomorrow's Vision" (Public Personnel Management, Vol. 33, No. 4, Winter 2004), this article advances workforce planning and details the manner in which the commonwealth actualizes sound succession planning principles and practices.

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