Will You Survive the Night of the Baby Boomer Exodus? The Myths, Reality and Urgency of Utilities Succession Planning

Like it or not, your utility will see dramatic turnover in the coming years. From the exodus of the Baby Boomer generation to new job opportunities a recovering economy will present to your best employees, the odds are high for you to lose many of your most valuable people. Dealing effectively with this threat requires a Succession Plan, powered by cross-training, initiated by you and enacted now. The best Succession Plan is the one you actually implement, not the perfect one you never implement. Start small and build on your successes over time. Analyze your people honestly. Identify the level of threat you face losing these persons. Select cross-training candidates based on the skills necessary to do the job successfully. Establish standards for their training. Monitor these results. Communicate why you are cross-training to your entire staff. Review, refine and repeat your results.