Everyone is Replaceable (Succession Planning)

Everyone is replaceable. For some, that might be a relief to read, for others a bit hurtful. Nevertheless, it’s the truth. It’ll probably end up with someone in the role that does things differently but that doesn’t mean things won’t get done or that they won’t get done well. 

You probably don’t want to be doing the same thing you’re doing now, forever. The same is true for your staff. For some members of staff, this could be a real problem. By them leaving, you could be left with a big hole in your operation that could take a while to fill. For others, not so much!

So what should you be doing? Simple. Take steps to keep people you want and simultaneously take steps to mitigate their leaving.

Moving people onto the next level role is a great way to keep good members of staff. To recognise their hard work and recommit them to the business. It demonstrates to them that they’re not stagnating. Don’t wait until they tell you they’re considering leaving though. Once someone makes the decision they don’t want to be somewhere anymore, it’s hard for them to come back from that.

Equally, if you’re thinking of leaving a role, don’t not do it because you’re concerned about the people you’re leaving. You only get one life and as work takes up such a large part of that life, you need to do the best thing by you. You can do your employer a favour though by producing quality SOPs and guides, and by sharing your knowledge as much as you can with your colleagues. Perhaps even identifying and training up your successor (if the company is hiring from within). Before leaving, consider speaking to your employer about opportunities for progression. If you’re considering leaving anyway, it’s worth an ask.