Succession management, especially for key roles at a company, is an important consideration for HR leaders. However, making sure a qualified candidate is available when needed can be time-consuming, but succession management software can help.
Succession management software can help identify potential internal candidates by referencing data such as performance reviews and years of experience. The software can also highlight areas of needed development so HR staff can create an employee training plan. These capabilities can help save time and money when a company role becomes vacant.
Learn more about some of the top succession management software.
Succession management software products to consider
When evaluating success management software, HR leaders should consider their company’s requirements for the system and their organization’s other HR software to ensure their new succession management software will integrate as needed with their current systems.
HR leaders should also create a plan for the succession management program implementation. For example, will all employee roles be part of the succession management program, or will the program focus primarily on senior leaders and other key roles within the company to start?
Here are some of the top succession management systems to consider.
1. Accendo
Accendo covers many of a company’s talent management processes, such as hiring, learning and development, and succession planning. Accendo includes pre-configured integrations with some of the most popular assessment tools, which could potentially be helpful depending on the company’s needs and roles.
The software collects employee data, then creates an employee profile, which HR staff and others can use to match employees to positions within the company in conjunction with Accendo’s career pathing software.
2. Arcoro
Arcoro software is designed for the construction industry and spans an employee’s lifecycle with a company.
The software pulls data from other modules, such as performance management, to help HR leaders identify candidates for succession planning. If an employee is a good candidate for a leadership role but needs to work on certain skills, managers can assign development opportunities and track their progress.
3. Bullseye Engagement
Bullseye Engagement’s software includes employee engagement, development, compensation, and succession planning, among other functionalities.
The system references employee data to identify potential successors for a role. It also includes built-in reminders and tasks to accomplish before succession planning sessions so participants can fully prepare for the meetings.
4. PageUp
PageUp’s HR system modules complement offerings of a human resources information system (HRIS). The company also offers software aimed at specific industries, such as healthcare and retail.
One advantage of the PageUp software is that the system uses up-to-date performance ratings when evaluating employees for succession planning. For example, if a manager moves an employee from one quadrant of a 9-box to another during a meeting, the updated rating appears in the system immediately and is incorporated into succession planning.
5. PeopleFluent
Companies can use PeopleFluent alongside an HRIS because it offers performance management, compensation, learning, org charts and succession management tools.
The succession management tools use qualitative and quantitative data to identify future leaders and capture employees’ career goals so leaders can incorporate them into a succession plan if applicable.
6. Plum
The core of Plum’s software is an assessment that employees complete and is the source for a Plum Profile. The system then analyzes employee profiles and job requirements to identify employees for succession planning.
Plum assigns each employee a score that indicates whether an employee is a good fit for a particular role.
7. Quantum Workplace
Quantum Workplace software focuses on measuring employee engagement. The system uses data from performance reviews, meetings between managers and employees, and employee recognition to help identify potential successors.
The system can also help users evaluate their company’s diversity when considering employees for future roles.
8. SAP SuccessFactors
SAP SuccessFactors covers many aspects of HR, including succession planning.
The succession management module pulls data from different parts of the system, including performance management, learning, assessments, and career paths, to identify candidates for a certain position. Users can reference the system’s succession planning org chart to compare candidates and view the effects on other parts of the company if an employee is promoted.
9. TalentGuard
TalentGuard’s AI capabilities help HR teams manage tasks related to building career paths, developing skills-based job profiles, and keeping employee information current, all of which helps support succession planning.
TalentGuard’s HR functionality augments an HRIS’s capabilities, and TalentGuard’s succession planning module includes the ability to search for internal candidates with similar skills, competencies, and other characteristics as employees who need a successor. Managers can use a dashboard to review information about their team, such as flight risks and development needs.
10. TalentQuest
TalentQuest focuses on overall talent management, including compensation, performance, learning, assessments, and succession planning.
The succession planning module enables users to create talent pools and search for internal candidates based on certain job requirements. Users can also reference the software’s employee behavioral assessments and other employee data to identify qualified successors.
Editor’s note: This list focuses on succession management software and does not include tools or services that only complement succession management. The author chose this software using their personal experience with HR platforms and by referencing vendor websites, Gartner, G2, Capterra, and People Managing People.
The products are listed in alphabetical order.
Eric St-Jean is an independent consultant with a particular focus on HR technology, project management and Microsoft Excel training and automation. He writes about numerous business and technology areas.
