Succession Hub - Complete Guide to Leadership Continuity

System Features Special Features Succession Planning
Last updated: January 26, 2026 β€’ Version: 2.0

Succession Hub - Complete Guide to Leadership Continuity

Succession Hub is MangoApps’ strategic workforce planning platform that helps organizations identify, develop, and manage leadership pipelines to ensure organizational continuity. This guide covers everything from understanding the 9-box matrix to building robust succession plans for critical roles.


1. Understanding Succession Hub

Succession Hub transforms succession planning from a reactive exercise into a proactive, data-driven strategy. Instead of scrambling when key leaders depart, organizations can maintain a ready pipeline of qualified successors for every critical position.

Core Philosophy

graph LR subgraph "Traditional Approach" A[Leader Departs] --> B[Panic Search] B --> C[External Hire] C --> D[Long Onboarding] end subgraph "Succession Hub Approach" E[Continuous Pipeline<br/>Development] --> F[Ready Successors<br/>Identified] F --> G[Smooth<br/>Transition] G --> H[Business<br/>Continuity] end style E fill:#e8f5e9 style F fill:#e8f5e9 style G fill:#e8f5e9 style H fill:#e8f5e9

System Architecture

graph TD SH[Succession Hub] --> LP[Leadership Pipeline] SH --> SP[Succession Planning] SH --> LA[Leadership Assessment] SH --> DP[Development Programs] SH --> AN[Analytics & Reporting] LP --> HP[High-Potential<br/>Identification] LP --> FR[Flight Risk<br/>Monitoring] LP --> TP[Talent Pipeline<br/>Health] SP --> CR[Critical Role<br/>Management] SP --> SM[Succession Matrix] SP --> TM[Transition<br/>Management] LA --> COMP[Competency<br/>Assessment] LA --> NINE[9-Box Matrix<br/>Placement] LA --> READ[Readiness<br/>Evaluation] DP --> EDP[Executive<br/>Development] DP --> COACH[Coaching<br/>Programs] DP --> ROT[Role<br/>Rotations] AN --> DASH[Executive<br/>Dashboard] AN --> COV[Coverage<br/>Analysis] AN --> BOARD[Board<br/>Reports] style SH fill:#1976d2,color:#fff style LP fill:#43a047,color:#fff style SP fill:#7b1fa2,color:#fff style LA fill:#f57c00,color:#fff style DP fill:#00838f,color:#fff style AN fill:#c62828,color:#fff

2. Key Capabilities

The Seven Pillars of Succession Hub

Pillar Purpose Key Features
Pipeline Management Build leadership bench strength High-potential identification, flight risk tracking, talent pool analytics
Role Planning Ensure critical roles have successors Critical role definition, succession depth mapping, gap analysis
Assessment Evaluate leadership readiness 9-box matrix with EPMS integration, competency assessment, readiness scoring
Development Grow future leaders Development programs, coaching tracking, stretch assignments
Analytics Data-driven decisions Pipeline health, coverage reports, board-level insights
Bench Strength Monitor organizational readiness Readiness distribution, role coverage scores, department analytics
Talent Reports Identify workforce trends Time-in-role analytics, stagnation risk reporting, employee comparison

Feature Comparison by User Role

graph TB subgraph "Board Members" B1[CEO Succession View] B2[Leadership Bench Reports] B3[Strategic Risk Assessment] end subgraph "C-Suite Executives" C1[Executive Dashboard] C2[Organization-wide Pipeline] C3[Transition Planning] end subgraph "HR Leadership" H1[Full System Administration] H2[Development Program Management] H3[Analytics & Reporting] end subgraph "Senior Managers" M1[Team Succession Planning] M2[Candidate Development] M3[Assessment Participation] end style B1 fill:#f3e5f5 style B2 fill:#f3e5f5 style B3 fill:#f3e5f5 style C1 fill:#e3f2fd style C2 fill:#e3f2fd style C3 fill:#e3f2fd style H1 fill:#e8f5e9 style H2 fill:#e8f5e9 style H3 fill:#e8f5e9 style M1 fill:#fff3e0 style M2 fill:#fff3e0 style M3 fill:#fff3e0

3. The 9-Box Matrix Explained

The 9-box matrix is the foundation of talent assessment in Succession Hub. It maps employees across two dimensions: Performance (from EPMS reviews) and Potential (from succession assessments).

EPMS Integration

The 9-Box Matrix now integrates directly with EPMS (Employee Performance Management System) to automatically populate performance ratings:

flowchart LR subgraph "EPMS" PR[Performance<br/>Reviews] end subgraph "Succession Hub" PERF[Performance<br/>Rating] POT[Potential<br/>Assessment] MATRIX[9-Box<br/>Matrix] end PR --> PERF PERF --> MATRIX POT --> MATRIX style PR fill:#e3f2fd style MATRIX fill:#e8f5e9

Matrix Visualization

                           POTENTIAL
            β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”
            β”‚     LOW      β”‚   MEDIUM   β”‚    HIGH    β”‚
     β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
     β”‚ HIGH β”‚  Workhorse   β”‚High Perf.  β”‚   Stars    β”‚
     β”‚      β”‚     πŸ’ͺ       β”‚    πŸ“ˆ      β”‚    ⭐      β”‚
  P  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
  E  β”‚MEDIUMβ”‚   Solid      β”‚Core Player β”‚High Potent.β”‚
  R  β”‚      β”‚ Contributor  β”‚    🎯      β”‚    πŸš€      β”‚
  F  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”Όβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
  O  β”‚ LOW  β”‚   Under      β”‚Inconsistentβ”‚   Rough    β”‚
  R  β”‚      β”‚ Performer ⚠️ β”‚    πŸ“Š      β”‚ Diamond πŸ’Ž β”‚
  M  β”‚      β”‚              β”‚            β”‚            β”‚
  A  β””β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”΄β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”˜
  N
  C
  E

What Each Box Means

Box Description Succession Priority Recommended Action
Stars High performer with high potential ⭐⭐⭐ Primary Accelerated development, succession candidacy
High Performer Strong performance, medium potential ⭐⭐⭐ Primary Retain and leverage expertise
High Potential High potential, building performance ⭐⭐⭐ Primary Performance coaching, stretch assignments
Workhorse Reliable high performer, limited growth ⭐⭐ Secondary Value expertise, mentor others
Core Player Solid performer, moderate potential ⭐⭐ Secondary Retain, deepen expertise
Rough Diamond High potential, needs performance focus ⭐⭐ Secondary Investigate barriers, may need role change
Solid Contributor Dependable, steady performer ⭐ Monitor Maintain engagement
Inconsistent Mixed results, needs development ⭐ Monitor Targeted development support
Under Performer Low on both dimensions β€” Review Performance management or exit

Department Filtering

The 9-Box Matrix now supports department filtering to analyze talent by organizational unit:

  • All Departments: View organization-wide talent distribution
  • Single Department: Focus on specific team’s talent landscape
  • Filter Persistence: Selections maintained during session

Performance Rating Source

Performance is now derived from EPMS reviews:

EPMS Rating Matrix Performance Level
4.5 - 5.0 High Performance
3.0 - 4.4 Medium Performance
1.0 - 2.9 Low Performance

Summary Statistics

The matrix view displays key metrics:

  • Total in Matrix: All employees with assessments
  • Stars: High potential + high performance (top right box)
  • Succession Candidates: Employees identified for succession
  • High Potentials: Employees marked as high potential

Assessment Flow

sequenceDiagram participant EPMS as EPMS System participant HR as HR Admin participant MGR as Manager participant SYS as Succession Hub EPMS->>SYS: Sync Performance Ratings HR->>SYS: Configure Potential Assessments MGR->>SYS: Submit Potential Rating SYS->>SYS: Combine Performance + Potential SYS->>SYS: Place in 9-Box Matrix SYS->>HR: Generate Reports & Insights

4. Critical Roles & Succession Planning

Defining Critical Roles

Critical roles are positions where vacancy would significantly impact business operations, strategy, or competitive advantage.

graph TD CR[Is This a Critical Role?] CR --> Q1{Unique Skills<br/>Required?} Q1 -->|Yes| POINTS1[+2 Points] Q1 -->|No| Q2 POINTS1 --> Q2{Strategic<br/>Impact?} Q2 -->|High| POINTS2[+3 Points] Q2 -->|Medium| POINTS2B[+2 Points] Q2 -->|Low| Q3 POINTS2 --> Q3 POINTS2B --> Q3 Q3{Hard to<br/>Replace?} Q3 -->|Yes| POINTS3[+2 Points] Q3 -->|No| Q4 POINTS3 --> Q4 Q4{Leadership<br/>Position?} Q4 -->|Yes| POINTS4[+2 Points] Q4 -->|No| EVAL POINTS4 --> EVAL EVAL{Total Score} EVAL -->|7+| CRITICAL[πŸ”΄ Critical] EVAL -->|5-6| IMPORTANT[🟑 Important] EVAL -->|<5| STANDARD[🟒 Standard] style CRITICAL fill:#ffcdd2 style IMPORTANT fill:#fff9c4 style STANDARD fill:#c8e6c9

Succession Depth Requirements

For each critical role, Succession Hub tracks succession depth:

Succession Depth Description Risk Level
0 Candidates No identified successors πŸ”΄ Critical Gap
1 Candidate Single point of failure 🟠 High Risk
2 Candidates Minimum coverage 🟑 Moderate Risk
3+ Candidates Healthy pipeline 🟒 Low Risk

Succession Matrix Workflow

flowchart LR subgraph "Step 1: Identify" A[Define Critical<br/>Roles] --> B[Set Succession<br/>Requirements] end subgraph "Step 2: Assess" B --> C[Evaluate<br/>Candidates] C --> D[Determine<br/>Readiness] end subgraph "Step 3: Develop" D --> E[Create Development<br/>Plans] E --> F[Track<br/>Progress] end subgraph "Step 4: Monitor" F --> G[Review<br/>Coverage] G --> H[Update<br/>Plans] H --> C end style A fill:#e3f2fd style B fill:#e3f2fd style C fill:#e8f5e9 style D fill:#e8f5e9 style E fill:#fff3e0 style F fill:#fff3e0 style G fill:#fce4ec style H fill:#fce4ec

5. Readiness Levels

Succession Hub categorizes candidate readiness into clear timeframes:

Readiness Timeline

β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”
β”‚                     SUCCESSION READINESS                        β”‚
β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟒 READY NOW              Can step into role immediately      β”‚
β”‚  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ All competencies met                                      β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ No critical development gaps                              β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Emergency succession candidate                            β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟑 READY IN 1 YEAR        Minor development needed            β”‚
β”‚  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ 1-2 competency gaps to close                              β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Active development in progress                            β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Strong succession candidate                               β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟠 READY IN 2 YEARS       Significant development planned     β”‚
β”‚  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Multiple competency gaps                                  β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Development program enrolled                              β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Pipeline candidate                                        β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  πŸ”΄ 3+ YEARS               Long-term development               β”‚
β”‚  β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Emerging talent with high potential                       β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Foundational development needed                           β”‚
β”‚  β”‚ β€’ Future pipeline candidate                                 β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β””β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”˜

Readiness Assessment Factors

pie title Readiness Assessment Weights "Technical Competencies" : 30 "Leadership Behaviors" : 25 "Strategic Thinking" : 20 "Business Acumen" : 15 "Stakeholder Management" : 10

6. Development Programs

Succession Hub integrates development tracking to accelerate candidate readiness.

Program Types

graph LR subgraph "Executive Programs" EP1[Executive MBA<br/>Sponsorship] EP2[Board<br/>Observation] EP3[CEO<br/>Shadowing] end subgraph "Leadership Development" LD1[Leadership<br/>Academy] LD2[Executive<br/>Coaching] LD3[Mentorship<br/>Program] end subgraph "Experience-Based" EB1[Cross-functional<br/>Rotation] EB2[Stretch<br/>Assignment] EB3[Acting<br/>Role] end EP1 --> EXEC[Executive<br/>Ready] EP2 --> EXEC EP3 --> EXEC LD1 --> LEAD[Leadership<br/>Ready] LD2 --> LEAD LD3 --> LEAD EB1 --> DEPTH[Broader<br/>Experience] EB2 --> DEPTH EB3 --> DEPTH style EXEC fill:#e8f5e9 style LEAD fill:#e3f2fd style DEPTH fill:#fff3e0

Development Program Lifecycle

stateDiagram-v2 [*] --> Planned: Program Identified Planned --> Enrolled: Participant Assigned Enrolled --> InProgress: Program Started InProgress --> Completed: All Milestones Met InProgress --> OnHold: Paused OnHold --> InProgress: Resumed Completed --> [*]: Impact Assessed note right of InProgress Track progress milestones Update competency scores Log development activities end note

7. Bench Strength Dashboard

The Bench Strength Dashboard provides an aggregate view of succession readiness across your organization, helping you identify gaps and monitor overall preparedness.

Overall Bench Strength Score

The dashboard calculates an overall bench strength grade based on coverage of critical roles:

Grade Score Range Description
A 90-100% Excellent coverage across all critical roles
B 75-89% Good coverage with minor gaps
C 60-74% Adequate coverage, improvement needed
D 40-59% Significant gaps requiring attention
F 0-39% Critical gaps, immediate action required

Readiness Distribution

Track your succession candidates across four readiness levels:

β”Œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”
β”‚                   READINESS DISTRIBUTION                         β”‚
β”œβ”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟒 READY NOW           Candidates who can step in immediately  β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  πŸ”΅ READY IN 1 YEAR     Minor development gaps to close         β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟑 READY IN 2 YEARS    Active development in progress          β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β”‚  🟠 DEVELOPMENT NEEDED  Long-term development required          β”‚
β”‚                                                                 β”‚
β””β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”€β”˜

Key Dashboard Components

graph TD BSD[Bench Strength<br/>Dashboard] BSD --> SCORE[Overall Score<br/>& Grade] BSD --> DIST[Readiness<br/>Distribution] BSD --> ALERT[Uncovered<br/>Roles Alert] BSD --> DEPT[Department<br/>Analytics] BSD --> RECENT[Recent<br/>Candidates] SCORE --> GRADE[Letter Grade<br/>A-F] SCORE --> PCT[Coverage<br/>Percentage] DIST --> RN[Ready Now] DIST --> R1[Ready 1 Year] DIST --> R2[Ready 2 Years] DIST --> DEV[Development Needed] ALERT --> GAPS[High-Urgency<br/>Gaps] ALERT --> ACTION[Action<br/>Required] DEPT --> BYTEAM[By Team] DEPT --> READPCT[Readiness %] style BSD fill:#1976d2,color:#fff style ALERT fill:#ff9800,color:#fff

High-Urgency Role Coverage

The dashboard highlights roles marked as critical or high-urgency that need immediate attention:

Status Description Action Required
πŸ”΄ Gap No ready candidates Immediate candidate identification
🟠 At Risk Only 1 ready candidate Add backup candidates
🟑 Adequate 2 ready candidates Monitor and develop
🟒 Covered 3+ ready candidates Maintain pipeline

8. Talent Pools

Talent Pools allow you to organize employees into groups for tracking, development, and succession planning purposes.

Pool Types

Pool Type Purpose Use Cases
Diversity Pool Track DEI initiatives Women in leadership, underrepresented groups, diversity programs
Skills-Based Pool Group by competencies Technical experts, future leaders, specialized skills
Saved Group Custom employee groups Project teams, cross-functional talent, watch lists

Creating Talent Pools

flowchart LR subgraph "Step 1: Define" A[Choose Pool Type] --> B[Name & Describe] end subgraph "Step 2: Populate" B --> C[Add Members] C --> D[Set Criteria] end subgraph "Step 3: Track" D --> E[Monitor Pool] E --> F[Review Progress] end style A fill:#e3f2fd style B fill:#e3f2fd style C fill:#e8f5e9 style D fill:#e8f5e9 style E fill:#fff3e0 style F fill:#fff3e0

Pool Management Features

  • Search & Filter: Find pools by name, type, or member
  • Member Management: Add or remove employees from pools
  • Activity Tracking: See last activity and modification dates
  • Pool Statistics: View member counts and pool health metrics

9. Talent Reports & Analytics

Talent Reports provide deep insights into workforce trends, helping identify potential issues before they become problems.

Time-in-Role Analytics

Track how long employees have been in their current roles to identify potential stagnation:

graph TD TIR[Time-in-Role<br/>Analysis] TIR --> HEALTHY[Healthy Range<br/>0-24 months] TIR --> MONITOR[Monitor<br/>24-36 months] TIR --> RISK[Stagnation Risk<br/>36+ months] HEALTHY --> OPT[Continue<br/>Development] MONITOR --> REV[Review<br/>Career Path] RISK --> ACT[Immediate<br/>Action] style TIR fill:#1976d2,color:#fff style RISK fill:#ff9800,color:#fff style ACT fill:#c62828,color:#fff

Stagnation Risk Detection

The system automatically identifies employees who may be at risk of stagnation based on:

Risk Factor Threshold Impact
Time in Current Role 36+ months High stagnation risk
No Recent Promotion 4+ years Career progression concern
High Potential + Long Tenure Combined Flight risk indicator

Department Breakdown

Analyze stagnation risk by department to identify systemic issues:

  • View total employees per department
  • See at-risk count and percentage
  • Compare departments visually with progress bars
  • Export data for deeper analysis

Quick Actions

Action Description
View Full Report Detailed time-in-role breakdown for all employees
Stagnation Risks Only Filtered view of at-risk employees
Export to CSV Download data for external analysis
Compare Employees Side-by-side talent comparison

10. Employee Comparison (Talent Reviews)

The Employee Comparison feature allows side-by-side evaluation of candidates for succession planning decisions.

Comparison Attributes

When comparing employees, you can evaluate:

Attribute Description
Current Role Job title and level
Company Tenure Total time with organization
Time in Role Duration in current position
Match % Fit percentage against target role (when selected)
Readiness Succession readiness assessment
Performance Latest EPMS performance rating
Potential Potential assessment and high-potential status
Flight Risk Retention risk indicator
Key Skills Verified and claimed skills with proficiency
Previous Roles Role history and promotion count
Development Areas Identified improvement needs
Strengths Documented strong points

Target Role Matching

flowchart LR EMP[Selected<br/>Employees] --> COMPARE[Comparison<br/>View] COMPARE --> MATCH{Target Role<br/>Selected?} MATCH -->|Yes| CALC[Calculate<br/>Match %] MATCH -->|No| BASIC[Basic<br/>Comparison] CALC --> SCORE[Role Fit<br/>Score] SCORE --> RANK[Rank<br/>Candidates] style EMP fill:#e3f2fd style CALC fill:#e8f5e9 style SCORE fill:#e8f5e9

Skills Comparison Matrix

When comparing employees, a skills matrix shows:

  • Which skills each employee has
  • Verification status (verified vs. claimed)
  • Proficiency levels
  • Gaps relative to other candidates

Quick Actions from Comparison

  • Add to Plan: Assign employee to a succession plan
  • Development: Enroll in leadership development program

11. Flight Risk Management

High-potential employees are often attractive to competitors. Succession Hub monitors flight risk signals.

Risk Indicators

graph TD FR[Flight Risk Assessment] FR --> ENG[Engagement<br/>Signals] FR --> PERF[Performance<br/>Trends] FR --> COMP[Compensation<br/>Position] FR --> DEV[Development<br/>Satisfaction] FR --> TENURE[Tenure<br/>Factors] ENG --> E1[Survey scores declining] ENG --> E2[Reduced participation] PERF --> P1[Performance plateau] PERF --> P2[Decreased innovation] COMP --> C1[Below market rate] COMP --> C2[No recent increase] DEV --> D1[Stalled career progression] DEV --> D2[Denied stretch assignments] TENURE --> T1[3-5 year tenure risk window] TENURE --> T2[Recent manager change] style FR fill:#ffcdd2

Risk Response Matrix

Risk Level Score Range Monitoring Intervention
Critical 80-100 Weekly Immediate executive outreach, retention offer
High 60-79 Bi-weekly Manager conversation, development acceleration
Moderate 40-59 Monthly Career discussion, opportunity visibility
Low 0-39 Quarterly Standard engagement activities

12. Getting Started

Implementation Roadmap

gantt title Succession Hub Implementation dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD section Phase 1: Foundation Configure critical roles :a1, 2024-01-01, 2w Define competency frameworks :a2, after a1, 2w Import employee data :a3, after a2, 1w section Phase 2: Assessment Identify high-potentials :b1, after a3, 3w Conduct initial assessments :b2, after b1, 4w Place in 9-box matrix :b3, after b2, 1w section Phase 3: Planning Create succession plans :c1, after b3, 3w Identify development needs :c2, after c1, 2w Assign development programs :c3, after c2, 2w section Phase 4: Ongoing Quarterly succession reviews :d1, after c3, 4w Continuous monitoring :d2, after d1, 8w

Quick Start Checklist

Week 1-2: Foundation Setup

  • Enable Succession Hub from Marketplace
  • Configure role-based permissions
  • Define 5-10 critical roles to start
  • Set up competency framework

Week 3-4: Pipeline Building

  • Identify initial high-potential pool (top 10%)
  • Complete first-round assessments
  • Map candidates to 9-box matrix
  • Review with leadership team

Week 5-6: Succession Planning

  • Create succession plans for critical roles
  • Identify readiness levels for candidates
  • Document development needs
  • Establish review cadence

Ongoing: Maintenance

  • Quarterly succession reviews
  • Update assessments after performance cycles
  • Track development program progress
  • Monitor flight risk indicators
flowchart TD HOME[Succession Hub<br/>Dashboard] HOME --> PIPE[Talent Pipeline] HOME --> PLANS[Succession Plans] HOME --> ASSESS[Assessments] HOME --> DEV[Development] HOME --> ANALYTICS[Analytics] HOME --> REPORTS[Talent Reports] HOME --> ADMIN[Admin Settings] PIPE --> HP[High Potentials] PIPE --> CR[Critical Roles] PIPE --> BENCH[Bench Strength] PIPE --> POOLS[Talent Pools] PLANS --> VIEW[View Plans] PLANS --> CREATE[Create Plan] PLANS --> CAND[Manage Candidates] ASSESS --> LA[Leadership Assessments] ASSESS --> MATRIX[9-Box Matrix<br/>with EPMS] DEV --> PROG[Programs] DEV --> TRACK[Progress Tracking] ANALYTICS --> DASH[Executive Dashboard] ANALYTICS --> COV[Coverage Reports] ANALYTICS --> ROI[Development ROI] REPORTS --> TIR[Time-in-Role] REPORTS --> STAG[Stagnation Risks] REPORTS --> COMPARE[Employee<br/>Comparison] ADMIN --> TEMPLATES[Templates] ADMIN --> NOTIF[Notifications] ADMIN --> INT[Integrations] style HOME fill:#1976d2,color:#fff style BENCH fill:#43a047,color:#fff style POOLS fill:#7b1fa2,color:#fff style REPORTS fill:#f57c00,color:#fff

13. Integration with EPMS

Succession Hub draws insights from Employee Performance Management for more accurate succession planning. The 9-Box Matrix now directly uses EPMS performance review ratings for automatic, objective placement.

Data Flow

flowchart LR subgraph "EPMS (Source)" PR[Performance Reviews] GOALS[Goal Achievement] SKILLS[Skills Tracking] COMP[Competency Scores] FB[360 Feedback] end subgraph "Integration Layer" SYNC[Data<br/>Sync] end subgraph "Succession Hub (Consumer)" PERF[Performance<br/>Ratings] POT[Potential<br/>Assessment] DEV[Development<br/>Needs] READY[Readiness<br/>Scores] MATRIX[9-Box<br/>Matrix] end PR --> SYNC GOALS --> SYNC SKILLS --> SYNC COMP --> SYNC FB --> SYNC SYNC --> PERF SYNC --> POT SYNC --> DEV SYNC --> READY PERF --> MATRIX POT --> MATRIX style SYNC fill:#ff9800,color:#fff style MATRIX fill:#1976d2,color:#fff

Synced Data Points

EPMS Data Succession Hub Usage
Performance ratings 9-box placement (X-axis), Employee comparison
360 feedback scores Leadership potential signals
Goal achievement Performance trend analysis
Skills assessments Competency gap identification, Skills comparison matrix
Development plan progress Readiness acceleration tracking
Review period Context for performance ratings in matrix

9-Box Matrix Integration

The 9-Box Matrix now displays:

  • Performance Rating: Automatically pulled from latest EPMS review
  • Rating Scale: Shows rating out of total scale (e.g., 4.2/5.0)
  • Review Period: Indicates which review cycle the rating is from
  • Department: Filter by department to analyze specific teams

14. Reports & Board Presentations

Available Reports

Report Audience Frequency Content
Executive Summary Board, C-Suite Quarterly Pipeline health, critical gaps, key risks
Succession Coverage HR, Executives Monthly Role-by-role coverage analysis
Bench Strength HR, Executives Monthly Overall readiness scores, coverage grades
Time-in-Role HR, Managers Monthly Tenure analysis, stagnation risk identification
Stagnation Risks HR, Managers Weekly At-risk employees exceeding role tenure threshold
Development ROI HR, Finance Quarterly Program effectiveness, investment tracking
Flight Risk Alert HR, Managers Real-time At-risk high-potential notifications
Readiness Progression HR Monthly Candidate advancement tracking
Employee Comparison HR, Managers On-demand Side-by-side candidate evaluation

Board Report Structure

graph TD subgraph "Board Succession Report" EXEC[Executive Summary] EXEC --> CEO[CEO Succession Status] EXEC --> CSUITE[C-Suite Coverage] EXEC --> RISK[Risk Assessment] CEO --> CEO_CAND[Candidates & Readiness] CEO --> CEO_DEV[Development Progress] CSUITE --> COV_SCORE[Coverage Score by Role] CSUITE --> GAPS[Critical Gaps] RISK --> FR[Flight Risk Summary] RISK --> TRANS[Pending Transitions] RECOMMEND[Strategic Recommendations] RISK --> RECOMMEND CSUITE --> RECOMMEND end style EXEC fill:#1a237e,color:#fff style RECOMMEND fill:#b71c1c,color:#fff

15. Best Practices

Do’s βœ…

  1. Review quarterly β€” Succession plans should be living documents, not annual exercises
  2. Maintain depth β€” Aim for 2-3 candidates per critical role
  3. Invest in development β€” High-potentials need accelerated growth opportunities
  4. Calibrate regularly β€” Ensure consistent 9-box placements across departments
  5. Link to performance β€” Use EPMS data to validate potential assessments
  6. Monitor bench strength β€” Track overall organizational readiness monthly
  7. Address stagnation risks β€” Proactively engage employees with long role tenure
  8. Use talent pools β€” Organize employees into meaningful groups for tracking
  9. Compare candidates β€” Use side-by-side comparison for objective decisions
  10. Filter by department β€” Analyze 9-box matrix at team level for targeted insights

Don’ts ❌

  1. Don’t wait for vacancies β€” Build pipelines before you need them
  2. Don’t forget retention β€” Identified high-potentials need engagement
  3. Don’t skip calibration β€” Individual manager bias affects accuracy
  4. Don’t ignore diversity β€” Pipeline should reflect organizational values
  5. Don’t create once and forget β€” Regular updates maintain relevance
  6. Don’t ignore stagnation β€” Long time-in-role increases flight risk
  7. Don’t skip EPMS reviews β€” Performance data powers the 9-box matrix
  8. Don’t compare without context β€” Always select a target role when relevant

16. Success Metrics

Organizations using Succession Hub effectively typically achieve:

Metric Target Industry Benchmark
Succession Readiness 75%+ of critical roles covered 68% average
Internal Promotion Rate 80%+ for leadership roles 78% average
Time to Fill 25% faster for planned transitions Industry standard
High-Potential Retention 95%+ annual retention 94% average
Development Program Completion 85%+ completion rate 80% average

This article should be updated when:

  1. New succession planning features are added (transitions, notifications)
  2. 9-box matrix calculation logic changes or new data sources are added
  3. Integration with EPMS is enhanced
  4. New report types are available
  5. Best practices evolve based on customer feedback
  6. Talent pool types or functionality changes
  7. Bench strength scoring algorithm updates
  8. Stagnation risk thresholds are modified
  9. Employee comparison attributes are added
  10. New filters or views are added to existing features

Last updated: December 2025
New features added in this version:

  • Bench Strength Dashboard with overall readiness grades
  • Internal Talent Pools (Diversity, Skills-Based, Saved Groups)
  • Talent Reports with time-in-role and stagnation risk analytics
  • Employee Comparison (Talent Reviews) with side-by-side evaluation
  • EPMS-based performance integration in 9-Box Matrix
  • Department filtering in 9-Box Matrix
  • Skills comparison matrix in employee comparison