The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) acknowledges the importance of succession planning and supports the growth and development of all its employees. The Succession Planning resources listed below are meant to provide Departments and Agencies across the GNWT with a consistent and transparent approach to their succession planning efforts.
What is Succession Planning?
Succession planning identifies strategies to develop employees to build capacity and capability. Effective succession management results in a larger pool of qualified candidates available to fill critical positions. The GNWT takes a collaborative approach to succession planning. Supervisors and senior management should be having discussions with their teams to assess employees’ interest in changing positions, plans for retirement, interest in moving into different roles or desires to learn and develop new skills.
As a manager, there are several resources available to you to get succession planning underway. While some of these resources may seem to be geared towards senior management positions, they can also be applied on a smaller scale for branches, divisions, units and small teams. These resources include:
- GNWT Succession Planning Guide
- Supervisor’s Succession Planning Checklist
- Employee Development Plan
- Employee Development Plan Template
- Career Pathing for GNWT Employees
- Career Pathing: Manager’s How To
- Appendix A - Succession Planning Priority Template
- Appendix B - Succession Plan tracker Template
GNWT Succession Planning Guide
The Succession Planning Guide provides a five-step process to succession planning that focuses on the importance of open communication and support between supervisor and employee. The five steps are as follows:
- Establish which positions are in most need of succession planning.
- Develop eligibility requirements for the positions.
- Identify potential successors.
- Plan to develop potential successors.
- (Re)Evaluate workforce needs.
Appendix A - Succession Planning Priority template and Appendix B - Succession Plan Tracker Template. These are resources to help supervisor’s plan and track the succession planning process.
Supervisor’s Succession Planning Checklist
The Supervisor’s Succession Planning Checklist goes hand in hand with the GNWT Succession Planning Guide, supervisors can use this checklist as an overview to ensure they are following the five-step process outlined in the Succession Planning Guide.
Employee Development Plan
As part of the Succession Planning process, departments and agencies determine the positions most in need of succession planning, review essential qualifications for those positions, and identify potential successors.
An Employee Development Plan (EDP) is an informal tool that departments and agencies can propose to employees who have been identified as potential successors for specific positions. The purpose of the Employee Development Plan is to develop an individual for a future leadership role within the GNWT. The skills learned and experience gained may have a high degree of transferability beyond the identified position. Overall, the EDP’s approach is collaborative and flexible, with the employee able to pause or opt out, should they no longer wish to participate.
To go along with the Employee Development Plan, the Employee Development Plan Template can be used to track training and competency development along with what actions will need to be taken, additional resources needed and setting a timeframe.
What is Career Pathing?
Career pathing is the process of determining a career goal and planning how to get there. It has been shown to boost employee confidence, decrease stress and provide employees with an overall sense of empowerment in their work life. The GNWT acknowledges the importance of career pathing and has prepared two resources, one for employees and one for managers, to assist with the career pathing process and support the growth and development of employees.
Career Pathing for GNWT Employees
For those employees who are looking to get started on their personal career planning journey, this document is an excellent resource to get the ball rolling. Supervisors are welcome to share this resource to employees who are eager to learn more about career pathing.
Career Pathing: Manager’s How To
This "Manager’s How To" is a document that manager’s can utilize when assisting their employees with career pathing. Career pathing is the process of determining a career goal and planning how to get there. It has been shown to boost employee confidence, decrease stress and provide employees with an overall sense of empowerment in their work life. The GNWT acknowledges the importance of career pathing and supports the growth and development of its employees.