Challenges Affecting Effective Implementation Of Succession Management Strategy In The Civil Service Of Kenya

Abstract

Succession management is important human resource practice because is at the heart of talent management process of identifying key roles and mapping out ways to ensure that the organization has the right people, with the right skills, capabilities, and experiences, in the right place at the right time. An effective succession management and planning can prepare an organization to have potential employees for filling future critical vacancies of middle and senior management positions. Studies show that effective succession management goes hand in hand with succession planning which guarantees continuity of leadership in the top and middle levels The objective of this study was to determine the challenges affecting effective implementation of succession management strategy in the Civil Service of Kenya. This study used descriptive research design as the research methodology. This approach was found to be convenient for this kind of the study, as it enabled the use of descriptive statistics in presenting the field data. The target population for the study encompassed the Directors of HRM&D in the Civil Service of Kenya. A structured questionnaire with closed ended questions was utilized as the primary tool for data collection. The data was collected and analyzed quantitatively using SPSS to draw tabulations on the respondents ‘opinions across the different questions that were covered in the study. The study established that despite Civil Service having a succession management strategy in place, there was no support from the top management in relation to implementation of succession management strategy (Mean=4.3947, SD=.64021), respondents took a neutral stand regarding provision of the much needed financial resources by the top management to address the succession gaps (Mean=3.89556, SD=83233); respondents took a neutral stand on the statement that the top management viewed succession management as a function of human resource alone (Mean=3.92112, SD=.89765); succession management was viewed to be more suited on senior positions only (Mean=2.4895, SD=1.04385); and there was acute shortage of critical skills and competences( 4.11053, SD=.89411). The research findings found out that ageing workforce; lack of a well-defined career development policy; lack of talent management policy; and shortage of critical skills were major challenges affecting effective implementation of succession management strategy in the Civil Service of Kenya. The study concludes that there was need to adopt a more proactive approach to address succession gaps in the Civil Service of Kenya to avert crisis of compromising service delivery. The research study recommends that in order to ensure effective implementation of succession management strategy in the Civil Service of Kenya, a proactive approach needs to be adopted. HR practioners in the Civil Service should develop flexible career progression guidelines that will guarantee higher achievers faster career growth.