1. Recommend a plan to develop first, a succession plan or a career development plan. Explain and justify your choice. Remember that both time and resources are limited.

Based on the scenario, it is assumed the company will be leaning on internal promotions to fill the open positions. It is also assumed that HR already has employee files consisting of performance appraisals and other qualitative and quantitative information (i.e., feedback, tenure, and past experience) to review for their hiring and promotion decisions. The information can be used to identify and shape high-performing employees to fill the open positions. For this reason, it would be beneficial to focus on a succession plan. However, the argument of whether it is better to create one prior to the other is noteworthy. Ideally, succession plans are integrated into an employees career development plan (Mazon, 2017). It is stressed that an employee's development should be linked to their personal goals, the organization's performance requirements, and available progression opportunities (Mazon, 2017).

Nonetheless, the scenarios future open positions (C-suite and senior staff) are key leadership positions that, if filled internally, can save on hiring costs and reduce the chance of hiring unfit employees (Hodges, 2015). Gary (2014) highlighted that a succession plan actively develops labor using progressions of experiences that enable employees to be ready for future staffing needs. With the plan, the abilities of current employees are assessed to see which future positions they may take within the organization when other employees leave their positions (Amina et al., 2017) or, in this case, an organization has difficulty recruiting qualified employees. While not unimportant, career-development plans alone lack an employer-centered focus. In other words, career-development plans are employee-driven and may take one on many paths not centric to the specific desires of the organization (Davis, 2015). Conversely, succession plans are strategic, employer-driven, and structured according to organizational needs (Ballaro & Polk 2017).

2. Recommend a policy for the development of a career development plan for employees. Include details such as administrative requirements, timing recommendations, staff and supervisor training, and other pertinent items.

An ideal plan would direct HR to be the key staff responsible for the overall management of the organizations career-development program and serve as a consultant to all members of the organization. However, the policy would mandate supervisors as responsible for the timely development and implementation of their employees career-development plan (CDP). The policy would include the required completion of an employee self-reflection form. Using the form, employees should reflect on and document their significant accomplishments, key strengths, and goals for the future and determine how these goals align with the organizations values and mission. To help meet objectives, the policy would require all CDPs to include the following segments: current duties, time in service, performance rating, short and long-term initiatives, training needs, action plans to improve, a promotional position section, a ready-for-promotion section (ex: Now, in 1-3 years, in 3-5 years). In addition, the policy would require the plan to be reviewed and signed by the supervisor and employee annually or if the employee changes supervision during the goal execution cycle. Lastly, policy would mandate goals to be assigned a completion time. Providing time constraints allows for measuring an employee's progress and determining if they are on track to meet or not meet the standards for achieving agreed-upon objectives (Amina et al., 2017).

3. Recommend a policy for the development of a succession plan, including necessary steps and details.

To reiterate, succession planning is the process whereby an organization ensures that employees are recruited and developed to fill each key role within the company (Gary, 2014). Experts emphasized that in doing so, the organization ensures it will never have a key role open for which another employee is not prepared (Heathfield, 2020). While development plan goals may include completing a management course, a fellowship, leading a project, earning a degree, or participating in a mentoring/coaching program (Amina et al., 2017). Policys overall purpose is to provide guidelines for the process. Gray (2014) details 5 elements that should be included when creating policy, they are:

1. Identify key roles (such as managers and above) that may require replacement in the next 3 years. List each role and each person.

2. List the job competencies and personalities for each role that is a) required and b) recommended. Keep it simple. Lean on your human resources colleagues. Solicit updates from those in the role.

3. Assess your current staff members based on their a) status now (e.g., ready now, development needs defined, development needs to be defined), and b) potential (e.g., skills, ability, longevity, health). Then list concerns for each person, such as job performance, health risks, medical needs, family concerns, job potential, or ability to travel.

4. Identify a pool of potential talent

5. Actively develop key people using progressions of experiences so that they can be ready now for advancement.

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