Last Reviewed: November 18th, 2024

Best Succession Planning Software Of 2024

What is Succession Planning Software?

Succession planning software is like an insurance policy for your organization's future leadership. It tackles the challenge of ensuring a smooth handover when key employees retire, move on, or win the lottery (hopefully you'd be happy for them!). Imagine scrambling to fill a critical leadership role – that's the risk without a plan. This software helps identify high-potential employees, track their development, and create clear career paths. Benefits include peace of mind knowing you have a pipeline of qualified successors, reduced risk of disruption, and boosted employee morale with clear advancement opportunities. Think of a manager easily spotting a talented individual and creating a development plan to groom them for a future leadership role. It's a win for any organization, but especially helpful for those with an aging workforce or a focus on long-term stability. While valuable, there can be upfront costs and some customization might be needed. Overall, succession planning software is a strategic investment that safeguards your organization's future by building a bench of strong leaders waiting in the wings.

What Are The Key Benefits of Succession Planning Software?

  • Reduced Disruption
  • Leadership Pipeline
  • Improved Talent Retention
  • Strategic Workforce Planning
  • Proactive Development
  • Future-Ready Organization
  • Stronger Internal Candidates
  • Knowledge Transfer Secured
  • Boosted Employee Morale
  • Reduced Recruiting Costs
Read more

Overall

Based on the latest available data collected by SelectHub for 87 solutions, we determined the following solutions are the best Succession Planning Software overall:

Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked talentReef

Talentreef provides user-friendly recruiting and talent management capabilities aimed at organizations in the service industry that have an hourly workforce. One con unanimously indicated by users is that it lags and crashes while performing multiple actions, including on the app. However, the app generally enables great mobility, as users can access all features and tools whenever needed. In addition, customer support is quick and effective according to the majority of users. In summary, the system is a good option for companies needing to recruit and manage a wide pool of talent.

Pros & Cons

  • Customer Support: More than 70% of reviews on support indicate that prompt and effective customer support is provided whenever required.
  • Easy to Use: All features and tools are intuitive, self-explanatory and easy to use, as reflected by 100% of reviews on ease of usage.
  • Mobility: The ability for employers and employees to access the platform at all times using its functional mobile app, is a strength according to all reviews on this aspect.
  • Lags: All users mentioning this feature indicate that the software, especially the mobile app, lags and crashes sometimes while performing multiple functions at once.

Key Features

  • Text-to-Apply: Supervise mobile-driven candidates, make applying easier and staying up to date on the latest recruiting trends. 
  • KPI-Driven Reporting Engine: Provides best-practice reports such as time-to-fill, recruitment source analysis, hiring and scoring decisions correlation, and applicant flow differentiation. Choose from included options or build a customized report to suit data visibility and analysis requirements. 
  • Integrated Employee Assessments: Save time and effort utilized in manual candidate screening and assessment by scoring them based on attitude and behavioral traits, along with industry, company culture and position. 
  • Configurable Hiring Workflows: Drive improved efficiency with the assistance of configurable workflows that meet organizational needs and effectively support hiring procedures. 
  • Real-Time Employee Engagement: Track employee performance and lifecycles by identifying maximum potential and conducting performance evaluations. Grants improved visibility that helps effectively manage employee promotion, compensation, approvals, transfers and terminations. 
  • Program Health Insights: Improves visibility into talent management. Hiring managers can gain insights into comprehensive program health, segregated based on employee position, place, market or nation. 
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Workday Talent Management

Workday is a talent management, HCM and workday management app. Reviewers loved the friendly customer service and felt the PTO feature worked well when it came to leave management. Reviewers also felt they got good value for their money in the majority of reviews that talked about price. Integrations were praised as being functional. That included the API, compliance service and third-party apps in general. Last, users especially like the recruiting tools that helped with acclimating new hires, candidate selection and gave insight into the organizational structure.
Reviewers had the biggest issues with its ease of use. While there was a significant minority who felt that it worked just fine, others struggled with the design and navigation. Several said it was, “clunky.” In particular, users had issues with the way it handled permissions and access. They described it as a difficult process to see all the information they needed. The other big issue was the learning curve. Many described it as over-complicated and said it updated too frequently. They felt it was difficult to learn.
Workday is a good option for medium to large enterprises. It may be too complicated and expensive for small business owners. It’s especially helpful in recruiting and employee data management for companies that need greater functionality.

Pros & Cons

  • Customer Service: Over 90% of users who mentioned the support said the customer service was friendly, efficient and exceedingly helpful.
  • Good Functionality: Users were happy with the features in over 90% of reviews that mentioned them.
  • PTO/Leave Management: More than 90% of all users who discussed the leave management aspect were pleased with the feature.
  • Price: Reviewers felt that it was appropriately priced in over 80% of the reviews that mentioned it.
  • Integration: Over 80% of users who discussed integration felt it had excellent interoperability.
  • Recruiting: Users who discussed the recruiting features were satisfied in over 70% of reviews that covered it.
  • Difficult Learning Curve: Just under 90% of all users who mentioned the implementation process said that it took too long to learn and they wanted more training.
  • Not Intuitive: More than 50% of users who discussed the useability said it was hard to navigate and has confusing design elements.

Key Features

  • Talent Management and Skill Development: Grants a greater understanding of skill gaps and development to aid in recruiting and staffing. Helps elucidate and aid in talent management with calibration, candidate profiles, continuous feedback, embedded reporting, goal management, professional developments, reviews, surveys, and more. In addition to examining external candidates, it provides a breakdown in competencies to understand how to best utilize current staff.
  • Recruiting and Talent Acquisition: Manages the employee life cycle from start to finish. It has tools for job creation, recruiting and onboarding to guide employees through the entire process. The platform provides communication for the hiring team, high-volume efficiency, proactive talent sourcing, management for interviews, security and compliance and a space where users can see job openings and applicants. Furthermore, it builds a staffing pipeline and automates workflow to make the process much easier. A recruiting hub allows people to see candidates, assessment, tasks and referral candidates. Overall, it helps create an efficient hiring process for the whole company.
  • Integrations: Integrates with Google, Microsoft Teams, Outlook and Slack.
  • Professional Development: Provides professional reviews and development. Managers can make decisions based on skill sets. Employees can ensure their personal goals are aligned with broader company objectives. Some of its elements include career planning, goal management, internal mobility, performance enhancement and visibility with talent.
  • Customization: Comes with multiple personalization options for teams that have special needs or a more complex workflow.
  • E-Learning: Learners get access to rich, interactive content to help with competency development and engagement within the flow of a day’s work. Content is curated for individuals and personalized for better engagement. It’s within the program, so users don’t have to navigate a complicated system to access it. Leaders can create learning campaigns to fill skill-gaps and encourage career development and see how it impacts training. It also lets users create course catalogs and learning plans, store content and stream content.
  • Assessments: Hosts interactive video with multiple-choice questions and text answers to users so they can remember what they’re learning. It comes with accessibility elements by transcribing videos, in-video search and more.
  • Diversity: Enables policies to ensure equity across demographics and aims to make everyone feel welcome in the workplace. It measures hiring and promotions and assigns scores on an index so leadership can have a frank analysis of how diversity plays into the organization and where they can improve. Users can also create opportunities to increase equity, develop a more varied background of leaders, put plans into action, measure the effectiveness, remove bias from hiring and create a company culture that appreciates the unique strengths of people from all walks of life.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Centralizes all data including benchmarks, budgets, finance and workforce calculations, planning data, legacy app analysis, third-party app information, plans and more. Teams can examine and pull reports with the Discovery Boards feature and use augmented analytics to get at answering the tough questions. The platform helps with this analysis with features such as graph processing, machine learning and pattern detection.
  • Other Services: In addition to talent management, the solution also offers accounting, auditing, automation for professional services, cash and asset management, enterprise planning, enterprise planning, spending management, payroll, product extensions and workforce management.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Infor Talent Management

Infor Talent Management is part of a wide company that makes a range of programs. Users responded well to the comprehensive customer service, affordable price points and the easy to use interface. A majority of reviewers that discussed recommendations said they would recommend it and they felt the features worked well. By far the most popular was the talent science that provides data based on behavior and performance. Users said it aided them in recruiting by building a workforce better suited to the company. Other reviewers said it helped with performance and diversity.
On the other side, many reviewers said they ran into some miscommunications during the process with the company. Though most ultimately had a good impression of the support services. Last, reviewers felt that while the assessments were condensed well, the length was worrying. They expressed concerns that possible hires would jump off during the application process.
Infor Talent Management is a good choice for organizations with complex recruiting needs who are looking to improve their performance and hiring practices. It appears to work best for medium-sized and large enterprise companies. The platform may be too complicated for small businesses.

Pros & Cons

  • Excellent Customer Service: Over 90% of reviewers who discussed customer support said they were helpful, solved issues quickly and provided valuable insight.
  • Affordable: Users felt the price was appropriate in over 90% of comments that discussed it.
  • Talent Science: Over 80% of reviewers who discussed the talent science features felt the data helped build and manage staff better.
  • Recommended: In comments that discussed recommendations, over 80% of users said they would recommend the platform.
  • Ease of Use: Over 70% of reviews that touched on the useability found the solution easy to navigate and use.
  • Good Functionality: Users who discussed features felt the software’s tools were adequate over 50% of the time.
  • Poor Communication: While users generally appreciate the customer service, over 60% who talked about it said they ran into some communication issues.
  • Assessment Length: Reviewers said assessments took too long in over 60% of relevant comments.

Key Features

  • Employee Lifecycle: Discovers the right talent, increases engagement and manages the employee lifecycle more effectively.
    • Acquisition: Helps administrators source, engage, screen, interview and hire candidates. It makes the process more effective and creates a standardized workflow to ensure equity and consistency in the process. Administrators also have a better insight into the skills of a candidate to cut down on costly turnover. Coordinate between recruiters, managers and interviewers with a personalized guide making the process run more smoothly. Integrate with an ATS or other system.
    • Onboarding: Once hiring is complete, the solution facilitates effective onboarding and allows users to track their performance. It provides them tasks to complete and makes for better communication with managers.
    • Succession Management: Identify and prepare the next generation of leaders from the current workers. Aids employees so they can develop along their desired career path while ensuring an organization is prepared in case of a sudden departure from the leadership team. Establish a pipeline of workers with the right skills to plan for company shakeups, shifting interests or changing priorities. This reduces turnover costs.
  • Talent Science: Predictive analytics create a technological framework to find the best candidates through the analysis of performance and behavioral data. Through assessments, it gathers the necessary info for better matches. This ensures a potential hire is right for their role. It facilitates career pathing, diversity, inclusion and productivity.
  • Compensation Management: Analyzes and suggests appropriate payment levels for potential and current staff members to ensure fair compensation and good performance. It calculates and automates payment and awards.
  • Team Development: Assessments and team communication tools enable collaboration between members. Teams can see their strengths and weaknesses and address issues where necessary. The Behavioral DNA identifies behavioral characteristics within a team, helps leaders develop strategies for better dynamics and users integrate more established and brand new groups. It can also analyze the alignment with higher business goals.
  • Performance Management: Monitors performance and analyzes strengths and weaknesses through assessments and feedback reports. Opens a line of communication between workers and management to set expectations.
    • Assessments: Offers surveys so staff can critically engage with their role and to find and solve challenges and appreciate successes. It tracks performance, delivers pulse surveys, analyzes worker behavior and more.
    • Goal Management: Aligns goals and expectations of the company with that of the employee so they can focus on the most important metrics, spark personal growth and improve.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Uses science to combat hiring biases, create more diverse teams and encourage talent in areas where it may not be immediately apparent. In addition to necessary reporting, it gives leadership actionable insights to improve situations. Leads to greater self-awareness surrounding staffing practices.
  • Learning Management: Provides a platform for company learning. Instructors can create and deliver learning content. In addition to increasing training effectiveness, it can transfer institutional knowledge and aid workers in developing necessary skills. Assessments let workers gauge their success and retain the information better.
  • Other Capabilities: In addition to talent management, this suite has HR, workforce management, time and attendance, scheduling, planning for labor, benefits management and more.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked SuccessFactors

SuccessFactors provides full integration with all HR modules and can connect to other SAP solutions, such as finance to materials. With extensive customization, integration and analytics, it can be of great use for planning, developing and implementing HR strategies.

According to our analysts, SAP SuccessFactors scores a 79, leading in applicant tracking and recruiting, document management, and succession management.

It includes AI-assisted screening, LinkedIn applicant prospecting, automated tax documents, succession planning, offline course access and employee lifecycle tracking, helping HR cover core tasks today and plan for the future.

It’s gotten praise for its strong support team, which is responsive and customer-focused, although users sometimes experience delays in resolving issues. The platform excels as a comprehensive HR solution, integrating various functions into a single system that streamlines processes and reduces costs.

While there's a learning curve for most, the majority found it worth the work to centralize all things HR, especially with its AI capabilities. Recent updates have improved the UI design, though some users indicate growing pains with release-related glitches and complex integrations.

SAP SuccessFactors pricing starts at $10 per user per month with a free trial.

SuccessFactors makes recruitment easier with tools for job postings, tracking candidates, evaluating resumes and managing interviews. Its AI-assisted screening matches candidates to job requirements more efficiently.

The onboarding module speeds up the process for new hires by automating paperwork, setting up training and ensuring a smoother transition into the company. Overall, SuccessFactors helps identify and nurture internal talent for future leadership roles, creating a smooth succession plan and minimizing the impact of turnover.

Pros & Cons

  • Support Quality: The support team is highly regarded for its responsiveness and customer service. It’s praised for being helpful and treating customers well, although there can be occasional wait times for resolution.
  • One-Stop-Shop for HR: Most users appreciate the system's ability to integrate various HR functions into a single platform, which can streamline processes and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO).
  • Goal Setting Flexibility: The learning module is seen as robust and flexible, making it easy to set and manage goals. Users can select from a library of goals or add their own, which facilitates effective goal setting and tracking.
  • Recruitment Management: According to most users, the recruitment module eases the entire process, including job postings, candidate selection, resume evaluation, interview scheduling and offer management. The applicant tracking and AI-assisted screening features were noted for improving time to hire.
  • Getting Started: Many find SAP SuccessFactors complex, especially for new users. The system is described as intricate and sophisticated, leading to a steep initial learning curve.
  • Reporting Woes: Users find the reporting options pretty restricted, with not much room to customize dashboards and reports. This lack of flexibility makes it tough to tailor reports to fit specific needs.
  • User Experience and Interface: The user interface (UI) has received mixed feedback. Some users feel it's outdated and clunky, with hiccups like confusing time-off calculations and cumbersome goal-setting processes.
  • Updates: While the support team is effective at troubleshooting integration issues, some users have experienced release-related breakdowns. On the flip side, other users noted recent updates have improved the UI, making it easier to navigate with new icons and better drill-downs.

Key Features

  • Joule: Use a virtual assistant to guide employees through the feedback process with easy-to-follow steps and prompts. Joule lets employees update their info right away (like location and working hours) without bouncing around multiple screens. It also streamlines promotion requests by guiding managers through the process and setting effective dates.
  • Automatic Tax Document Generation: Generate essential tax documents automatically, reducing administrative workload and ensuring compliance with tax regulations.
  • Payroll: Simplify payroll with automated pay calculations while ensuring compliance with both local and international rules to function globally. Plus, the self-service option lets employees easily access their information.
  • Time and Attendance Management: Automate time-consuming tasks like calculating hours worked and managing absences to make scheduling more efficient.
  • Recruiting and Onboarding: Create profiles, apply for jobs and track applications through a career portal. Employees can share openings and earn rewards for referrals. Recruiters can manage interviews based on candidate availability and location and provide a personalized onboarding experience.
  • Learning and Development: Use the earning management system (LMS) for all your learning needs, from succession planning to career development. It handles assessments, offline courses, training schedules, and tracking employee progress and course completion.
  • Performance and Compensation: Track employee performance to find top talent while providing feedback to help your team set and achieve goals. Reward employees with compensation programs and keep your numbers in line with budget modeling.
  • Workforce Planning: Modeling and analysis features provide insight into financials and scenario-based outcomes. Allocate resources effectively with budget planning, anticipate staffing requirements with workforce forecasting and reduce schedule conflicts with alerts.
  • Personalized Recommendations: The benefits plan recommendation tool offers a personalized ranking of benefits plans, providing employees with tailored recommendations to better meet their specific needs.
  • HR Analytics: Understand your company's data with insights on performance, turnover, diversity and more. Benchmark against peers and analyze HR data in detail. Use dashboards and reports to identify issues and spot trends.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked IBM Watson Talent

IBM Watson Talent is a talent management software with tools for recruiting, skill assessment and professional development. Reviewers were pleased with the solution’s features, especially regarding data management and integrating with other tech through APIs. Commenters said it helped evaluate potential hires, especially when it came to the Kenexa skill assessments. However, some wanted more customization options in the surveys. Users said the solution was ultimately easy to use, although many said it was challenging to learn at first. The interface made up the bulk of issues, with its look and feel described as “dated.” Many also felt they had to click through too many options and pop-ups. This processing issue was an annoyance to many. IBM Watson Talent is a good talent management solution for medium enterprise organizations.

Pros & Cons

  • Proper Functionality: Over 90% who discussed the features felt the product worked well.
  • Easy to Use: Reviewers said it had good ease of use in more than 80% of comments that discussed this topic.
  • Recruiting Tools: Over 80% of users that talked about the recruiting functions felt they worked well.
  • Friendly Customer Service: According to just under 80% of reviewers that discussed customer service, support was helpful and friendly.
  • Skills Assessments: Over 60% of users who talked about the skills assessments were happy with how they helped evaluate candidates.
  • Affordable: Reviewers who discussed pricing expressed satisfaction in over 60% of comments.
  • Dated Interface: More than 90% of users who mentioned the interface’s look said it was dated.
  • Navigation Problems: Users who discussed navigation said there were too many pop-up windows and clicks in over 80% of comments.
  • Implementation Issues: Over 80% of reviewers who talked about implementation said there was a steep learning curve.

Key Features

  • Recruiting: Identify, contact and prioritize qualified potential hires with a built-in AI to make the process more accurate and efficient.
    • Prioritize Jobs: Receive urgent staffing requests and ensure they’re given high priority and completed expediently.
    • Candidate Scores: Analyze comparative values between individuals to compare them with comprehensive, unbiased data. Make decisions more quickly.
    • Candidate Ranking: Show a list of possible hires organized by potential best fits for the company.
    • Actionable Insights: See how candidates perceive the company and guide conversations in ways that ensure qualified candidates are engaged and don’t lose interest.
  • Workforce Planning: Create a workforce strategy that combines better employee engagement, streamlined digital operations and lower costs for an optimized workflow. Recognize opportunities for improvement, fill in skill and capability gaps and operate with a flexible plan. Manage the workforce and office space while ensuring compliance with industry and safety rules. Use AI and intelligent workflows to execute plans efficiently.
  • HR Functions: Retain workers with an HR department driven by data and agile. Improve the retention rate using AI to ensure a positive employee experience. Use automation and chat bots for better productivity.
  • AI: Use AI bots to answer simple HR questions, allowing the department to tackle more in-depth company culture and learning challenges. Use analytics to predict future needs and plan future workflows.
  • Back to Office Procedures: Plan for returning to the office as the COVID vaccine takes effect. Create a re-entry plan that addresses the needs of privacy, staff concerns, tech challenges, data security and more.
  • Kenexa: Pick from a library of tests and send out skill assessments, engagement surveys, behavioral analyses, organizational effectiveness tests and more.
  • Analytics: Analyze insights from real-time data. Use social listening and peruse employee sentiment to faciliate better conversations with candidates and current employees alike.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked UKG Pro

UKG Pro is a cloud-based platform that’s designed to streamline global human capital management across all industries. It brings together key functions like payroll, benefits, recruiting, onboarding and learning management in one place.

Some standout features include an advanced scheduling tool that helps balance staffing levels and control labor costs. AI is a big player here, enhancing HR tasks with things like schedule optimization, retention forecasting, sentiment analysis and candidate matching.

From what I've seen through the demo, the mobile app lays everything out in a simple, direct way with menu options like time off, pay, HR help, benefits, goals, notes and learning. Under learning, there's a variety of helpful courses, including security awareness, conflict management and mindfulness training.

Completing requests seems quick and straightforward. Click HR Help and find requests to ask for a shift change, PTO or travel expense.

Manage assignments by viewing "To-Dos," including what's waiting for completion and what's crossed off your list already. Plan effectively with a headcount under metrics, showing who is on leave or on the clock in real time.

On the subject of planning ahead, UKG Pro scores a perfect 100 under succession management, with talent matrix, talent pool and talent insight functionalities.

Document management is also a top feature, earning 100 for its capabilities. It includes access controls, document search, automatic tax document generation and the creation of employee handbooks and policies.

Managing performance can be challenging, especially with a large team. It's important to ensure that everyone feels valued, but time constraints can make this difficult. UKG Pro’s talent dashboard helps by highlighting top performers and potential flight risks, making it easier for you to address issues and make necessary adjustments.

One thing I really liked was that there's a page for work-life balance with improvement ideas, including resisting multitasking, expanding team goals and introducing flexible work schedules. This helps employees feel valued, which ultimately fosters more productivity and job retention.

Additionally, I thought it was admirable there’s a "Giving" option on the platform for creating employee giving programs and tracking donations. This is a great source for team building, increasing engagement and building a more positive work environment.

Using the live chat, I selected customer support and then UKG Pro, which led me to FAQs. After hitting thumbs down to request a representative, I asked for an in-depth demo. The chatbot offered alternative solutions or the option to end the chat. When starting a new chat, the previous conversation was visible, but there was no option to start a new chat from scratch.

Pricing starts at $100 per user per month with a per-user model, and you can request a free trial.

Pros & Cons

  • Employee Data Management: Users commend UKG Pro for its robust employee data management capabilities.
  • Payroll Processing: Reviewers consistently highlight UKG Pro's payroll processing feature for its efficiency, accuracy and intuitive interface.
  • User Interface: Some users found the UI slightly outdated based on confusing design elements, unclear wording choices and inefficient grouping that collectively hinder intuitive navigation within the system.
  • Reporting: Some users describe UKG Pro’s reporting feature as ineffective and lacking user-friendliness.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Incorporate a scalable, configurable engine for accurate, streamlined pay processing. This feature also includes:
    • Role-based access to ensure data security.
    • Prebuilt tax compliance, automatic tax updates every quarter and GIS-powered search to ensure accurate taxes based on employee location.
    • End-of-year reporting tools, including a task checklist.
    • Pay modeling calculator, enabling employees to calculate information on their own.
    • Integration support for global payroll providers and TurboTax.
    • Dashboards showing alerts and metrics.
  • Benefits: Provide help videos and documentation to assist employees. Key components include plan recommendations and side-by-side comparisons, process automation, search filters, compliance reporting, transaction records, admin tools and connectors to hundreds of carriers.
  • Workforce Scheduling: Ensure effective shift planning and workforce management with advanced scheduling capabilities previously found in UKG Dimensions.
  • Workforce Planning and Optimization: Make strategic planning and resource allocation a breeze. UKG Pro now packs the workforce planning and optimization tools from UKG Dimensions.
  • Time and Attendance: Optimize timekeeping and absence management with UKG Pro's enhanced time tracking and attendance features, which are now integrated from UKG Dimensions.
  • Learning: Aid employee learning and development by providing:
    • On-demand, mobile access to training materials in multiple languages.
    • Gamification, rewards and social tools foster engagement.
    • Blended learning, a drag-and-drop interface for content creation and a course marketplace with more than 3,000 courses.
    • Channels for employees to capture and share knowledge with coworkers.
  • Recruiting: Make talent sourcing and acquisition for recruiting teams and candidates easier and more efficient.
    • Recruiters: Dashboards show candidate and opportunity status and AI scoring reveals applicants that are the best match. Multi-language, multiple job board postings and screening questions also included.
    • Candidates: Applicants can submit their LinkedIn profile, receive open position suggestions based on basic information and provide an in-depth picture of themselves by sharing details like motivators and behaviors.
  • Onboarding: Access a dashboard that has a timeline for tasks they need to complete, job-related videos and training material, and required forms, which they can fill out electronically. They can also create goals and connect with teammates.
  • InTouch DX: Give managers and employees flexible, real-time access for time and attendance processes. This timeclock device is designed for an hourly, mobile workforce.
    • Features include configuration options, real-time data, a touchscreen, native intelligence capabilities and multiple integrated readers.
    • Managers can track employee information, confirm transactions and ensure schedules are followed.
    • Employees can request PTO, view time cards and schedules, punch in and out, receive push notifications, and receive suggested actions based on upcoming tasks.
  • BI Reporting: Display real-time data in a clear, user-friendly format, empowering managers and executives to monitor and analyze KPIs. They offer both prebuilt and customizable reports. It provides insights for:
    • Human resource metrics like headcount based on local and global demographics.
    • Benefit plan costs and employee participation.
    • Financial information like overtime cost, pay equity and payroll totals.
    • ACA filing data, including risks, deadlines and eligibility.
    • Recruiting costs and sourcing data.
    • Employee performance, retention estimators and 9-box assessment.
    • Pay factors ranging from expenses and revenue to total compensation at the global level.
    • Survey data, including participation, engagement details, historical trends and metric performance based on industry benchmarks.
  • Compensation Management: Reward employees based on achievements through salary planning, customizable compensation plans, merit rules and analytics. It supports targets based on units, flat amounts or a percentage of base pay.
  • Performance Management: Drive employee engagement and growth while giving managers insight into individual and team performance. Features include tracking dashboards, automated reviews, goals, achievement ratings and real-time feedback.
  • Surveys: Gather employee sentiment using AI, natural language processing and machine learning. They offer a question library, templates, mobile-friendly design, custom dashboards and curated improvement suggestions.
  • File Management: Organize and manage employee documents with a central repository along with role and type-based permissions. Templates automatically fill in employee details, and a compliance assist feature ensures global adherence.
  • Succession Management: Develop a talent pipeline, ensuring your employees are prepared to take on new roles. There are plans for any level in the company, alongside talent evaluation, predictive analytics, reporting and personal development tools.
  • Integration Hub: Support developers in enhancing the system through integrations by offering:
    • A collaborative community, a developer portal and APIs.
    • Sample code and instructional articles to speed up deployment.
    • A marketplace of product and service partners.
  • UKG Talk: Facilitate engagement and inclusivity within your organization by supporting various communication methods like:
    • Company-wide announcements.
    • Direct messaging.
    • Team group chats.
    • Employee feedback and participation through celebrations, idea collection and achievement recognition.
    • Provide actionable insights by measuring communication impact and engagement metrics.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Oracle Talent Management

Oracle is an overall talent management solution. Performance management was one of its most popular aspects. Users liked the overall management, professional development and skill set defining features. Its employee management, onboarding and talent management worked well aiding in optimizing the workforce. Recruiting was an especially well-liked tool with its ability to check candidate status, pull transcripts and engage in talent sourcing. Last, users were happy with its reporting elements as well.
As for reviewer dissatisfaction, the most disliked aspect was the price. It’s a comprehensive and expensive product. This included a lack of adequate skill-based search, poor navigation, problems that arose from internet connections, and an overall feeling of it being too complicated. Many users also experience bugs, glitches and a slow data management process. The initial learning curve was said to be steep, it was hard to navigate, and users disliked the UI and lack of expansive documentation.
Overall, this is a good tool for a medium-sized or enterprise company, especially one that’s looking for help recruiting talent and engaging in professional development. Though users should leave time for adapting to its somewhat complicated functionality. For smaller businesses or those with limited budgets, this is likely not the best solution.

Pros & Cons

  • Performance Management: Over 90% of users who discussed its performance management were pleased by the feature.
  • Talent Management: Users who discussed the talent management aspect of the platform felt it worked excellently over 90% of the time.
  • Employee Lifecycle: More than 80% of users who mentioned employee lifecycle management felt it worked incredibly well.
  • Onboarding: Users felt it was a big help with onboarding in over 80% of reviews that discussed it.
  • Recruiting: Over 80% of users who mentioned the recruiting aspects were satisfied.
  • Reporting: Users felt the analytics worked well in over 60% of reviews that discussed it.
  • Expensive: More than 90% of users who discussed price in their reviews felt the solution, especially the modules, was too expensive.
  • Performance Issues: Reviewers experience bugs, glitches and overall slow processing in over 90% that discussed it.
  • Scarce Documentation: Over 80% who mentioned documentation said it wasn’t comprehensive enough.
  • Hard to Use with Internet Issues: Users felt the worksheets need expanded functionality in more than 80% of reviews that discussed it.
  • Difficult to Use: Over 60% of users who talked about the ease of use felt the UI was poor and hard to use.
  • Steep Learning Curve: Reviewers who discussed the setup process felt it was initially difficult to learn in 60% of all cases.

Key Features

  • Recruiting: Registers results from candidates making screening much quicker and eliminating the step of account creation. It has a digital assistant to help them answer questions expediently. The tool integrates with a CRM to target candidates with customized messages and landing pages. An AI helps with the software with accelerated recommendations, data-driven offers and lets candidates do their own scheduling. Last, it can help with internal hires by recommending roles to employees within the company.
  • Onboarding: Onboards employees ensures a consistent experience within the HCM. It uses a digital assistant and steps that are easy to follow so users can get trained quickly from their preferred device. A personalized to-do list allows new hires to navigate the system easily and accomplish their goals from a centralized location. It also gives them access to any necessary resources.
  • Performance Management: Helps employees track and set their objectives that align with the broader goals of the organization. This helps every team strive toward something together. It breaks down the walls between employer and employee by enabling feedback with a request system. Users can offer up advice or comments at any point during the process. Employees are encouraged to constantly improve with check-ins, alerts and other tools that make mentoring and coaching much easier.
  • Compensation: The performance management helps managers evaluate and plan for the upcoming budget, raises and other important compensation decisions. Once the strategy and compensation plans are finalized, it makes it easy for the system to scale this process and create payment models, analyses and budgets. Ultimately, this leads to the successful administration of payment on a local and even global scale. Last, it creates a compensation plan so that everyone is on the same page.
  • Professional Development: Through career paths and development plans, employees can create goals and track their progress through an organization. This makes it easier for someone to understand their place and their path to better things. The system can deliver content employees might find interesting and connect mentors and mentees that are looking for opportunities to connect and collaborate.
  • E-Learning: This program includes e-learning features that deliver assignments, learning materials, initiatives, recommended content and more based on the data provided by the HCM. Integration with LinkedIn makes for a better eye on learner engagement in real-time. Subject matter experts can create top-notch content while administrators can look at skill and performance gaps and generate reports for actionable insights.
  • Succession Management: Nurtures future leaders and cuts down on turnover by identifying tomorrow’s management team. An inquisitive, visual dashboard guides discussions around leadership and helps users build a flexible talent pool, create succession plans and always keep an eye on metrics that could change everything.
  • Opportunity Marketplace: This program combines job posts, internal gigs and volunteering opportunities to show employees a complete realm of opportunities within a company. Some short-term positions can get workers cross-trained and learning new skills from a different perspective. Meanwhile, volunteering gives everyone a sense of purpose and renewed investment within a business.
  • LinkedIn Integration: Leverages recruiting, learner and profile data to review candidates from LinkedIn. All of this happens within the system, making it easy to connect with candidates without even leaving the system.
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Namely

Navigating the realm of HR software can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but Namely consistently emerges as a top contender, especially for mid-sized businesses. Users frequently highlight its user-friendly interface, affordability, and comprehensive features as standout qualities. Reviews often mention the intuitive design and ease of navigation, making it accessible even for those without extensive HR experience. The platform's affordability, without compromising on essential features, is another recurring theme in user feedback. Namely's wide range of features, encompassing payroll, benefits administration, talent management, and compliance tools, further solidifies its position as a versatile and valuable solution.

When compared to competitors like Deluxe, Namely's broader scope of features becomes evident. While Deluxe primarily focuses on payroll processing, Namely offers a more holistic approach to HR management. This distinction is crucial for businesses seeking a comprehensive solution that extends beyond basic payroll functions. Namely's emphasis on employee engagement and its intuitive self-service portal are also differentiating factors that resonate with users. The platform empowers employees to manage their own information, benefits, and time-off requests, fostering a sense of ownership and streamlining HR processes.

Considering its strengths and weaknesses, Namely appears to be an ideal fit for mid-sized businesses with 25 to 1,000 employees. Its scalability, comprehensive features, and focus on employee experience cater specifically to the needs of growing companies. Namely's ability to streamline HR processes, improve efficiency, and enhance employee engagement makes it a valuable asset for businesses looking to optimize their HR operations and cultivate a positive work environment.

Pros & Cons

  • Role-Based Access: Available with a single click, this feature allows users to view, add and update information anytime, according to 100% of reviews mentioning it.
  • Customization: It’s possible to customize almost all functions and operations, as noted by all reviews of customization.
  • User-Friendly: As per 80% reviews on this element, a user-friendly interface makes navigation easy.
  • Regular Updates: All reviews on updates indicated that Namely releases updates regularly to improve its functions and capabilities.
  • Comprehensive Solutions: All users referring to this aspect appreciated the end-to-end HCM capabilities for HR, payroll and benefits.
  • Time and Attendance: Adding manual data in the timesheets and attendance manager is a tedious task, according to 100% of reviews on this feature.
  • Customer Support: All reviews on this element indicated that support is slow and unresponsive.
  • Integration: There’s a lack of integration and communication between the payroll and HRIS modules, according to all reviews on integration.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Includes:
    • Regulatory compliance, employee access, prebuilt reports, and automatic generation and filing of 1094s and 1095s for ACA.
    • Benefits deduction calculations, so payroll numbers are always updated.
    • Automatic syncing with all HR data.
    • End-of-year reporting like W-2s and 1099s, including tax filing.
  • Time and Attendance: Enables:
    • Data transfer to the payroll module for accurate processing, with options for online time tracking. Offers physical clocks equipped with punch-in methods such as PIN, fingerprint and ID card.
    • Data summary views surrounding hourly workers with the admin dashboard, which shows and uses reports to drill into greater detail on different metrics.
    • Scheduling, managing overtime and performing mass editing actions.
  • Talent Management: Provides onboarding capabilities, eSignature, custom performance reviews, task tracking, configurable employee surveys, goal management, customizable automated review cycles and more. 
  • Benefits Administration: Includes health insurance, FSA and HSA options, life and disability insurance, 401(k), wellness programs, and more. Additional insurance coverage for pets and identity theft available as well. Namely Exchange automatically sends employee elections to Cigna. 
  • HR Analytics: Contains:
    • Metrics on diversity using factors like gender and age.
    • Pay gap analyses for gender and ethnicity, sorted by job level, department and other criteria.
    • Dashboard with KPIs such as trends for headcount, time off and attrition.
    • Custom reports to gain deeper insights and compare performance against industry benchmarks.
  • Mobile App: Available for iOS and Android, with geo-fencing for time management. Employees can request time off, while managers can receive notifications and view team PTO. 
  • Open API: Enables Namely to act as a system of record and facilitates single sign-on. Import data from other platforms, such as an applicant tracking system, learning management system or ERP. 
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Paycom

Paycom users in the past year have expressed both enthusiasm and concerns about the software. Many praise its user-friendly interface, mobile app convenience, and comprehensive feature set, which includes payroll, HR, benefits administration, and talent management. Compared to competitors, users find Paycom to be more intuitive and integrated, streamlining HR processes and saving time. Additionally, customer service is often lauded as responsive and helpful. However, some drawbacks are also mentioned. Implementation can be complex and require significant initial effort. Pricing concerns surface, with Paycom perceived as costlier than some competitors. While offering a wider range of features, this may not be necessary for all businesses, leading to potential overpaying for unused functionalities. Overall, Paycom seems to be a powerful and user-friendly option for companies seeking a one-stop HR and payroll solution. However, its complexity and cost warrant careful consideration, especially for smaller businesses or those with simpler needs. Comparing features and pricing with competitors is crucial to ensure Paycom aligns with your specific requirements and budget.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly: 85% of reviews mentioning the interface noted the platform has an intuitive layout, with all features organized and easy to locate.
  • Customer Service: Customer support is highly responsive, as asserted by 100% of reviews referencing it.
  • Employee Self-Services: All users referring to self-service observed that employees can easily upload documents, view information and track performance.
  • Performance Reviews: An open dialogue tool makes employee performance reviews more effective, as indicated by 70% of reviews mentioning this feature.
  • Use Anywhere: The mobile app is easy to use and has all desktop features available, as asserted by 100% reviews on this feature.
  • Customization: Customization for most features helps cater to a company’s unique requirements, as noted by all reviews on product customization.
  • Login Process: All reviews on the login process observed that employees need to log in every time they open the software, as there’s no password save feature.
  • Challenging Transition: Transitioning between the client and employee side is challenging and cumbersome, as users need to log in to both systems, according to all reviews on this aspect.
  • Learning Curve: All users reviewing learning noted that the platform has a steep learning curve, making adaptation difficult for new users.
  • Integration Capabilities: The system doesn't provide integration with major third-party platforms without using SFTP or API, as indicated by 100% of reviews on this feature.

Key Features

  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Build customizable databases to view relevant applicant information and track candidates as they move through the application process. Managers can search and sort applicants by information such as degree, specific skill sets, work history and more. 
  • Compensation Management: Define budgets, award bonuses and integrate with payroll to ensure that all employees receive fair compensation without overspending. 
  • Job Posting: Allows managers to post open positions to thousands of job boards. Managers can also rely on recruitment data to build reports to determine if their recruiting efforts are working. 
  • Payroll: Calculate taxes, process payroll, account for employee expenses and more, directly through the platform. Automate payroll processing, ensuring that employees are always paid the accurate amount at the correct time. 
  • Performance Management: Schedule and facilitate employee performance appraisals directly through the platform. 
  • Reporting: Leverage Paycom’s built-in analytics to generate reports on a variety of processes, including payroll, time and attendance, compensation and more. 
  • Scheduling: Create and edit employee schedules and approve requests for time off through the system’s calendar. Automate time tracking and integrate with payroll to streamline pay processing. 
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Why We Picked Paylocity

Paylocity is a user-friendly HCM solution that works well for SMBs and delivers an array of features such as payroll management, hiring and talent management in a unified suite. Self-service capabilities help employees access their information. Some users found issues with its payroll, tracking and timesheet capabilities, reducing accuracy and limiting what can be done. However, it offers an intuitive interface, with tools like onboarding and PTO that make tasks easier while speeding up processes. Businesses looking for an end-to-end system to manage HR functions should consider this as a good contender.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: 60% of users suggested that the interface is user-friendly, with automated payroll and simplified workflows that make it easy to operate and monitor teams.
  • Unified Dashboard: Paylocity enables HRIS, payroll, timekeeping and admin-related tasks to be handled from a single location, according to 60% of users.
  • Performance Benefits: It eases task management for essential activities such as checking time off balances and paychecks, conducting goal assessments and achievements, performing year-end reviews, and more.
  • Easy PTO: It’s easy to use and implement in a day-to-day work routine, with 30% of users mentioning they can check staff availability before approving leaves.
  • Streamlined Onboarding: The onboarding process checks in candidates and sends paperwork before they start, making it 10%-20% easier for admin setup and paperwork completion according to users.
  • Support Team: Paylocity's support process is lengthy according to 30% of users, requiring a lot of back and forth to get an issue resolved, which usually takes days.
  • Cumbersome Payroll: The payroll module requires set up by different people and doesn’t function accurately according to 10% of users.
  • Timesheets: Tracking time is difficult, as Paylocity doesn’t update and capture time entries until a shift is completed.
  • System Logouts: Despite automation, additional verification is required when logging in, causing 10% of users to completely exit and then log in again.
  • Tracking: Tracking functionality doesn’t work well for all the features in the experience of 10%-20% of users.

Key Features

  • Payroll: Companies can simplify multiple financial tasks related to payroll with this feature. It automates payroll processes and takes care of tax compliance, expense reimbursements into paychecks, garnishment services and custom reports that derive whatever data that’s needed. It provides employees with the flexibility to access a portion of their earned wages when needed. 
  • Workforce Management: This feature helps eliminate the need for manual tracking of tasks, reduces administrative work and maintains accurate records of individual employees. The review forms can be customized to promote employees to set goals via an insight chart. 
  • Employee Self-Service: The software provides users with admin analytics, 24/7 secure access, enrollment and insurance access, and internal plans. This feature helps employees and employers to access, update, enroll and administer data respectively. 
  • Time and Labor Management: Workers can clock in and out via the mobile app, and managers can set geofencing rules that ensure accurate clock-punching. It also syncs with payroll automatically and allows managers to create and adjust schedules as needed, without manually correcting payroll data. 
  • Data Insights: The platform allows users to access demographic information, utilization, headcount, labor costs, position insights, turnover and retention. It also features real-time employee data, analytics for employment trends, strategic hiring and budgeting decisions, and programs to build a diverse workforce. 
  • Reports: The system comes with over 100 standard reports along with an ad hoc reporting tool. Users can schedule reports to automatically generate and track key reports with a favorites feature. 
  • Compensation Management: With this feature, administrators can configure settings such as the approval process and eligibility requirements. It also supports the customization of compensation plans to match organizational pay cycles. Company leaders gain a view into budgets and allocations, while managers can provide increases and view employee data like performance and pay history.  
  • Marketplace Integrations: Organizations can extend Paylocity’s capabilities to streamline the payroll regularity and HR data management across all policies. The solution connects with partner solutions in 20 categories, including single sign-on (SSO), ERP and a variety of HR-related functions. More than 300 integrations are available in the vendor marketplace. Data can flow into or out of Paylocity, or in both directions, depending on the integration. 

COMPARE THE BEST Succession Planning Software

Select up to 2 Products from the list below to compare

 
Product
Score
Start Price
Free Trial
Company Size
Deployment
Platform
Logo
$55
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$99
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Undisclosed
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$10
Per User, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
Still gathering data
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$100
Per User, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$4
Per Employee, Monthly
Yes
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$9
Per Employee, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$25
Per Employee, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android
$19
Per Employee, Monthly
No
Small Medium Large
Cloud On-Premise
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

All Succession Planning Software (87 found)

Narrow down your solution options easily






X  Clear Filter

Personio

by Personio GmbH
Personio
Personio is a comprehensive software solution designed to streamline HR management tasks, including recruitment, payroll, and employee data management. It is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized enterprises seeking to enhance their HR processes with a user-friendly and efficient platform. The software's intuitive interface and robust functionality make it an attractive option for businesses aiming to optimize their human resources operations without the complexity often associated with larger systems. Key benefits of using Personio include improved organizational efficiency, reduced administrative burden, and enhanced data accuracy. Popular features encompass applicant tracking, performance reviews, and time tracking, all integrated into a cohesive system. Users frequently commend its ease of use and the seamless integration of various HR functions, which contribute to a more streamlined workflow. In terms of pricing, Personio typically operates on a subscription model, with costs varying based on the number of employees and selected features. This flexible pricing structure allows businesses to scale the service according to their specific needs, ensuring cost-effectiveness. Compared to similar products, Personio is often praised for its balance of functionality and simplicity, making it a preferred choice for many organizations.
User Sentiment User satisfaction level icon: great
Cost Breakdown
$10 or less
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

iCIMS Talent Cloud

by iCIMS
iCIMS Talent Cloud
iCIMS Talent Cloud is a robust talent acquisition platform empowering organizations to streamline recruitment processes efficiently. Tailored for enterprises seeking top-tier talent, its key features include comprehensive applicant tracking, personalized candidate experiences, and advanced analytics. Users commend its user-friendly interface, citing, "Intuitive design enhances productivity." The platform's seamless integration capabilities stand out, with users noting, "Effortless integration with existing systems." While praised for efficiency, some users highlight scalability considerations, stating, "Ideal for large enterprises, but may be extensive for smaller firms." Pricing models vary, offering flexibility. Users express confidence, noting, "Outperforms competitors in adaptability." iCIMS Talent Cloud excels in providing end-to-end recruitment solutions, though users recommend thorough evaluation based on organizational size and needs. Pros Efficient applicant tracking Personalized candidate experiences Advanced analytics for data-driven decisions Seamless integration capabilities Scalable for large enterprises Cons May be extensive for smaller firms Scalability considerations for diverse needs Varied pricing models Requires thorough evaluation based on organizational size Adaptation challenges for certain user preferences
Cost Breakdown
$1,000 or more
Company Size
Small Medium Large
Deployment
Cloud On-Premise
Platform
Mac Windows Linux Chromebook Android

Buyer's Guide

Succession Planning Software Is All About Passing the Baton to Future Successors 

Succession Planning BG Intro

Imagine what would happen if your star employees left your company. Whether it’s retirements, lay-offs, resignations or tragedies, losing employees is never good news. That's where succession planning software comes in! It's like having a crystal ball that predicts the next company MVPs and ensures they're ready to take the reins when the time comes.

By investing in these systems, you're future-proofing your workforce, tightening your talent management strategy, preparing for inevitable changes and ensuring your company's success for years to come.

Executive Summary

  • Succession planning software helps evaluate potential internal candidates for promotions.
  • Managers can create talent pools to identify potential to advance overall competency.
  • Succession planning software helps compare internal candidates for leadership positions and evaluate the readiness of potential successors.
  • Processes like peer nominations, career paths and skill assessments let the workforce participate actively in the talent management strategy.
  • Asking the right questions internally and to software vendors is key to finding an ideal system.
What This Guide Covers:

What Is Succession Planning Software?

Succession planning software is an HR tool designed to identify and develop potential future organizational leaders. It enables HR departments to create talent pools, track employee performance and identify skill gaps to plan for future leadership transitions. This software helps companies ensure business continuity and minimize disruptions caused by unexpected departures or retirements.

Primary Benefits

Think of your succession planning software as insurance. It’s a fail-safe plan to handle vacant or soon-to-be vacant positions and avoid the headache of figuring things out on the fly.

Succession planning solutions can support your organization's long-term vitality by helping you plan for the future, search for high potential prospects and pave the way for budding leaders.

Succession Planning Software Benefits

Plan for Success

Succession planning software helps you identify and develop the next generation of leaders. According to a study by Gartner, the future of work and effective leadership are top priorities for HR leaders in 2023.

Using succession planning software help devise effective career plans and talent pools that ensure the growth and prosperity of existing personnel. Gain an overview of competency level and identify specific skills needed to prepare employees for key roles.

Increase ROI

With proper planning, you can reduce damage control in case of an unexpected departure. Succession planning software helps you grow potential successors and lays out plans for when unexpected vacancies occur.

You can rely on succession planning frameworks to facilitate smooth and organic transitions without disrupting business operations.

Focus on Vision and Mission

When you promote candidates internally, you invest in people familiar with your company's values and long-term goals. Incorporating company ethos into succession plans strengthens company culture and ensures long-run personality-job fit.

In other words, you’ll also build a charged and motivated workforce who understands the ethos of your company. Speaking of motivation, this brings us to the following point.

Improve Morale

A recent study by Gallup shows that the U.S. employee engagement rate slumped from 36% to 34% within a year. Getting the basics of what motivates your employees is the first step toward retaining them. Employees feel valued when companies take the time and effort to promote them to better organizational roles.

Succession planning solutions let you build mentorship programs and skill development initiatives. Investing in your workforce will show them they can have a fruitful career in your organization.

Key Features & Functionality

Workforce Modeling

Improve workforce planning by developing models and comparing several versions to determine the best option. Get an idea of what your organizational structure might look like in the future.

Employee Database Management

Create talent pools based on capability and competency levels. Tap into groups to locate suitable employees for given roles. Access a centralized employee information database, including job titles, skills and performance reviews to support promotional and developmental actions.

Goal Management

Users can assign relevant goals along employee learning paths. Add goals in line with overall business objectives, vision and mission to ensure guided growth of future managers.

Succession Planning Frameworks

Rely on internal frameworks like talent grids and talent boxes to categorize talent based on performance and potential. Streamline growth with targeted training and development plans.

Create frameworks to coach employees, track real-time progress, add relevant modules and define succession planning metrics.

Skill and Competency Assessments

Rely on multi-rater systems to assess specific qualities, uncover skill gaps and develop targeted training plans. Generate objective 360-degree reviews by including evaluations from peers, managers and stakeholders.

Insights and Analytics

Reports help you analyze performance trends to support decisions and optimize strategies. Use relevant KPIs to identify areas for improvement and uncover vulnerabilities within existing succession plans.

Integrations

Gain full context of progress and track changes on a unified system by integrating office productivity applications and browser plug-ins your team uses. Optimize your software ecosystem by connecting succession planning software with your existing human resource information management system (HRIS).

Software Comparison Strategy

There are several key buyer considerations to keep in mind when evaluating succession planning tools. Your software search needs to revolve around the following vital factors:

  1. Features and Functionality: Look for software with the necessary features to meet your organization's specific needs. The software should have robust capabilities for employee data management, skill gap analysis, and development planning.
  2. User-Friendly Interface: Prioritize solutions with an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows for easy adoption and use by employees of varying technical skill levels.
  3. Data Security: Ensure the software is designed with secure data management and complies with relevant data privacy laws and regulations. The software should securely store sensitive employee data to prevent any data breaches.
  4. Integration: Consider how well the system integrates with other pre-existing HR technologies, such as performance management and learning and development platforms. Creating an interconnected software ecosystem enables a comprehensive view of employee development critical for succession planning.
  5. Support and Maintenance: Choose a vendor that provides robust support and maintenance services. Specifically, evaluate for technical support, regular updates and training resources to keep the software up-to-date and provide maximum value to your organization.

Still, choosing an ideal software can be daunting. Here’s what you’ll need to do to organize the solutions and identify the must-have features:

  • Start internal conversations with your teams to generate a list of requirements based on your business type and size.
  • After that, speak with colleagues and tap into social circles online to learn what succession planning software they use.
  • Extend your search to online forms and groups on LinkedIn to read what people say about their systems. You will find some hidden pros and cons of using a particular succession planning software.
  • While comparing vendors, consider different feature sets and evaluate how well the succession planning solutions align with your human capital management goals.

Our comparison matrix makes it easy to evaluate vendors based on the features that matter most to your company. You can assign priorities to different functions and gain a comprehensive overview of how well different products align with your benchmarks.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

By this point, you probably have a list of must-have features you want to implement with your succession planning software, raising a pressing question: how much would that cost your business?

Several key factors affect the pricing of succession planning systems. Understanding these factors will help you make the best of your available financial resources:

  • Organization Size: Pricing depends on the size of your workforce. Most succession planning software charges per user. The larger your company and user base, the higher the cost.
  • Talent Pools: Prices tend to escalate based on the number of talent groups within your organization. You’ll notice that each cohort requires unique assessments and succession models.
  • Additional Features: Vendors typically charge additional fees for add-on capabilities and tailor-made software plans.

You’ll also want to consider some commonly overlooked implicit costs associated with implementing succession planning software:

  • Implementation fees.
  • Professional services, such as data migration.

The Most Popular Succession Planning Software

In the end, the best succession planning software depends on how well the solutions match your business requirements and talent management goals.

Consider the following popular succession planning software to put things in perspective:

Cornerstone OnDemand

Cornerstone OnDemand is a cloud-based talent management platform specializing in managing complete employee lifecycles. It offers succession planning resources like 9-grid boxes and talent bench reviews to evaluate potential successors' skills and performance levels.

The succession planning work area lets you oversee active succession plans, view company-wide insights and easily access talent pools with data visualization options.

Cornerstone OnDemand

Cornerstone OnDemand identifies and recommends potential successors based on advanced sets of predetermined criteria. Source

Oracle HCM Cloud

Oracle HCM Cloud is a workforce management suite that offers different cloud-based HR solutions. The platform provides an integrated overview of talent profiles to let users check all the succession plans. Assign succession plans with customizable plan types, predetermine timelines and add incumbents.

Oracle HCM Cloud

Oracle HCM Cloud streamlines succession planning from within its succession planning work area. Source

TalentSoft

TalentSoft provides cloud-based HR solutions, from talent acquisition to talent management to learning and development. The system automatically recommends potential successors with the option to validate matches. The centralized dashboard provides a collapsable overview of talent grids that display information like potential, performance, flight risk and overall organizational impact.

Access appraisals, assessment scores and progress reports to make informed developmental decisions.

TalentSoft

Talentsoft’s talent grid organizes employees into quadrants based on their growth potential and performance. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask

Use these questions as a starting point for internal conversations:

  • What HCM goals do you want to achieve with succession planning software?
  • Which features will you benefit from the most?
  • What succession planning frameworks do you have in place?
  • Which KPIs and metrics do you require to measure success?
  • Can your current IT infrastructure support the platform?

Succession Planning Key Questions To Ask

Use these questions to start conversations with vendors:

  • What are the available pricing plans?
  • Is the software scalable? What do additional charges depend on?
  • How well do the solutions align with your company-specific requirements?
  • What are the available integration/API options?
  • What support services are offered?

Next Steps

It’s no secret that work culture continues to evolve, especially with a considerably younger workforce stepping in to take the reins. Resignations, retirements and unforeseen events make it critical to prepare for the future. Succession planning software helps you respond with tact and preparedness to handle these situations and allows your employees to climb the corporate ladder organically.

Reduce the hassle of finding software that matches your needs with our free comparison report. Quickly compare products against the criteria you care about to see how industry leaders stack up.

Product Comparisons

Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Saniya was a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub. With an MBA in Marketing, she found her calling in the world of digital marketing and technical content writing. Her work spanned HR-centric systems like talent management, recruitment and performance management to robust software like ERP and manufacturing systems. When the day winds down, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog or indulging in her artistic side by swapping her keyboard for a pencil. She finds solace in watching the sunset over the beach and appreciates the little things in life.
Technical Research By Nithin Shetty
Senior Analyst
With experience in research and consulting going back to 2015, Nithin Shetty is an asset to SelectHub's research team. In his Senior Research Analyst role, he works on projects in categories like HR, CRM, EHR and ERP. He's also a big movie buff and sports fan. When he isn't watching his favorite film or game, he's usually volunteering his free time to causes like blood drives and environmental cleanup.
Technical Review By Jaisri Narasimman
Principal Analyst
A graduate of NTU Singapore, Jaisri Narasimman honed her data mining and curation skills during her post-graduate education, focusing on developing strategies to help businesses make the most of their data. In her role at SelectHub, her research spans categories like HR, CRM and EHR.
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.