About this template
A succession planning form is an essential tool for human resource departments and executive leadership teams to prepare for leadership transitions and mitigate the risks associated with sudden departures. By proactively identifying critical roles, evaluating internal talent, and mapping out skills and qualifications, organizations can ensure seamless business continuity and foster a culture of upward mobility.
This template helps HR professionals capture comprehensive data on key employee profiles, current performance metrics, readiness timelines, and targeted development goals. It streamlines the talent review process, making it easier to collaborate with department heads and executive boards on organizational design and retention strategies. With Doc2Form, you can instantly turn this structured layout into a fully functioning Google Form to kick off your talent pipeline reviews without manual setup.
Key features
- Identify critical business roles and evaluate associated departure risks.
- Assess internal candidates for leadership readiness and skill gaps.
- Document targeted professional development and mentoring plans.
- Standardize talent reviews across multiple departments easily.
Use cases
- Annual executive leadership and talent review cycles.
- Preparing internal candidates for upcoming retirements.
- Mapping out emergency backup coverage for critical technical roles.
What this form collects
- Evaluator Full Name (Short answer)Enter your full name as the manager or HR representative completing this assessment.
- Evaluator Title & Department (Short answer)Specify your current job title and department.
- Critical Position Name (Short answer)Enter the title of the key position being evaluated for succession planning.
- Current Incumbent (Short answer)Enter the name of the employee currently holding this critical position.
- Flight Risk Level (Multiple choice)Assess the likelihood of the current incumbent leaving the organization within the next 12 to 24 months.
- Impact of Vacancy (Linear scale)How severely would the sudden departure of this incumbent disrupt business operations?
- Identified Internal Successor(s) (Paragraph)Provide the names and current titles of employees who could potentially step into this role.
- Successor Readiness Timeline (Dropdown)When will the primary candidate be ready to assume this critical role?
- Identified Skill Gaps (Paragraph)Describe any key competencies, technical skills, or leadership experience the successor needs to develop.
- Proposed Development Actions (Paragraph)Outline specific actions, training, mentoring, or cross-functional projects required to bridge the skill gaps.
- Backup Contingency Plan (Paragraph)What interim measures will be taken if the critical role becomes vacant before the successor is fully ready?
FAQ
Who should complete this succession planning form?
Typically, department heads and HR managers complete this form to evaluate their teams, identify high-potential talent, and plan for future leadership needs.
How often should succession plans be updated?
Most organizations review and update their succession plans annually or following major structural changes and performance review cycles.
Can I customize the questions for different departments?
Yes, once the template is generated in your Google Drive, you can easily add, remove, or edit any questions to fit specific technical or operational roles.
Is employee succession data kept secure?
All submissions are safely stored in your organization's Google Drive and Google Sheets, allowing you to maintain strict access controls.
Get this form in your Google Drive
Save a copy to your Google Drive with one click (uses 1 credit). Or build from a PDF or description in the app.