sABriNA sMELKO 22 BCBusiness JUNE 2015
Please Don't Go!
D - I - Y M a n a g e m e n t
What to do if a key employee leaves? sandra reder, president and founder
of Hr consulting firm Vertical Bridge, and Go2Hr
cEO Arlene Keis outline how
to prepare a backup plan by Felicity Stone
pInpOInt pOtentIaL
understudIes
"Target the speci¢c individuals that
have these skills, discuss it with
them, and create a development
and retention plan with them so
that you're engaging—it's not some-
thing you're doing to them, you're
doing it with them," says Keis. "It's
much easier to grow from within
than to have to pull someone in
who is new to your company," notes
Reder, who advises using perfor-
mance reviews to spot which people
are promotable in all key areas.
COnstantLy reCruIt
"If you get unsolicited resumés, it
may be worth somebody's while
to make one phone call and chat
with that person and say, We have
nothing available right now, but what
are you looking for?" says Reder.
"Just take some minimal notes."
Then if a key employee does leave,
you can call back to see if the person
is still interested. "You should never
have to start from scratch."
CrOss-traIn
Use cross-training techniques to
ensure more than one person is
capable of performing essential
tasks or have the incumbent mentor
someone else. "Even at the higher
level that can be done to some
extent," says Reder. "Most people
in a job like to learn, they like to be
challenged, so if they're being cross-
trained like that, it makes their jobs
more interesting, and it's a form of
engagement."
IdentIfy key pOsItIOns
"Look at every single job, and if that
person was to walk in and say good-
bye, how much of an impact would
it have on your ability to deliver on
your programs, your services, your
products or to keep your business
going?" says Reder. "A lot of people
think succession planning is just
for leadership continuity, but it
really is for critical skill and knowl-
edge and potential technical and
organizational knowledge as well,"
notes Keis.
assess the COmpetenCIes
and skILLs requIred
You also need a way to incorporate
that knowledge into the rest of
your organization, says Keis. Reder
advises asking incumbents to put
together a procedures manual, if
appropriate to the position. "It's a
great way to engage them if you say,
look, we want to put a procedures
manual together so we really under-
stand what you do in the event that
you, say, win the lottery."
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