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Succession Planning Matrix

A succession planning matrix gives a one-page view of all critical roles, their current holders, vacancy risk and named successors by readiness level. Leadership teams use it to spot roles with no ready successor and to prioritise development.

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[Company Logo][Company Name]

SUCCESSION PLANNING MATRIX

Company:: [Company Name]
Review Date:: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Reviewed by:: Leadership Team
Confidentiality:: Strictly Confidential

1. Critical Roles Matrix

Critical Role	Incumbent	Vacancy Risk	Ready Now	Ready in 1–2 Years	Ready in 3+ Years	Bench Strength
[Designation]	[Employee Name]	High / Medium / Low	[Employee Name]	[Employee Name]	[Employee Name]	Strong / Adequate / Weak
[Designation]	[Employee Name]	High / Medium / Low	[Employee Name]	[Employee Name]	[Employee Name]	Strong / Adequate / Weak
[Designation]	[Employee Name]	High / Medium / Low	None	[Employee Name]	[Employee Name]	Strong / Adequate / Weak
[Designation]	[Employee Name]	High / Medium / Low	[Employee Name]	None	[Employee Name]	Strong / Adequate / Weak
[Designation]	[Employee Name]	High / Medium / Low	None	None	[Employee Name]	Strong / Adequate / Weak

2. Summary

Total critical roles	[No.]
Roles with at least one ready-now successor	[No.]
Roles with no internal successor	[No.]
Employees named for more than one role	[No.]
Women in successor pool	[x]%

3. Priority Actions

Role	Issue	Action	Owner	Due Date
[Designation]	[Issue]	[Action]	[Owner]	[DD/MM/YYYY]
[Designation]	[Issue]	[Action]	[Owner]	[DD/MM/YYYY]
[Designation]	[Issue]	[Action]	[Owner]	[DD/MM/YYYY]

Readiness Definitions

Ready now: can take over immediately with normal onboarding.
Ready in 1–2 years: needs targeted development or experience.
Ready in 3+ years: high potential but needs significant development.

Prepared by
[HR Name]

Reviewed by
[Authorised Signatory]
Date: [Date]

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What this template includes

List of critical roles across the organisation
Incumbent and vacancy risk for each role
Successors grouped by readiness: ready now, 1–2 years, 3+ years
Bench strength rating per role
Diversity of the successor pool
Priority actions for high-risk roles

When to use it

Quarterly or annual leadership talent review
Board or investor discussion on business continuity
Deciding where to invest in leadership development
Planning external hiring for roles with a weak bench

How to customise this template

1Define what makes a role critical in your company
2Use the same readiness scale as your succession forms
3Colour-code bench strength in the Word or Excel file
4Add a column for interim cover
5Review the matrix in a leadership meeting, not by email

HR tips

Focus on roles with high risk and no ready successor first
Avoid listing the same person as successor for too many roles
Refresh after every appraisal cycle
Keep the matrix confidential to the leadership team and HR

For HR & hiring managers

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Frequently asked questions

What is bench strength?+

Bench strength is how many suitable internal successors a role has and how ready they are. A strong bench means at least one ready-now candidate.

Which roles should be in a succession matrix?+

Leadership roles and any role whose sudden vacancy would seriously affect operations, customers or compliance, regardless of seniority.

How is the matrix different from the succession form?+

The form goes deep into one position; the matrix summarises all critical positions together for a quick organisation-wide view.

All 50 increment, promotion & career →

[Company Logo][Company Name]
SUCCESSION PLANNING FORM
Form No.:
[Reference Number]
Review Date:
[Date]
Confidentiality:
Strictly Confidential
Section A – Position Details
Position [Designation]
Department [Department]
Work Location [Work Location]
Current Holder [Employee Name] ([Employee ID])
Time in Role [x] years
Why this role is critical [Reason]
Section B – Vacancy Risk
Risk of vacancy in 12 months: High / Medium / Low
Reason: Retirement / Flight risk / Planned move / Other
Expected date, if known [DD/MM/YYYY]
Impact if vacant without cover [Details]
Section C – Emergency Cover
Form · Word
Succession Planning Form
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Position	[Designation]
Department	[Department]
Work Location	[Work Location]
Current Holder	[Employee Name] ([Employee ID])
Time in Role	[x] years
Why this role is critical	[Reason]

Risk of vacancy in 12 months: High / Medium / Low
Reason: Retirement / Flight risk / Planned move / Other
Expected date, if known	[DD/MM/YYYY]
Impact if vacant without cover	[Details]

[Company Logo][Company Name]

INCREMENT MATRIX

Company:: [Company Name]
Applicable Cycle:: [FY 20XX–XX]
Effective Date:: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Approved Budget:: [x]% of eligible payroll

1. Merit Increase Grid (% of Fixed CTC)

Performance Rating	Compa-ratio below 0.85	Compa-ratio 0.85–0.95	Compa-ratio 0.95–1.05	Compa-ratio 1.05–1.15	Compa-ratio above 1.15
5 – Outstanding	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%
4 – Exceeds Expectations	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%
3 – Meets Expectations	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%
2 – Partly Meets	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%	[x–y]%
1 – Below Expectations	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil

2. Definitions

Compa-ratio = current fixed CTC ÷ midpoint of the employee's salary band.
Fixed CTC excludes variable pay, bonus and one-time payments.
Rating = final calibrated rating approved by the appraisal committee.

3. Application Rules

Template · Word

Increment Matrix

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[Company Logo][Company Name]

JOB GRADE MATRIX

Company:: [Company Name]
Matrix Version:: [v1.0]
Evaluation Date:: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Panel:: [HR Name], [Department Head], [Member]

1. Factors and Level Descriptors

Factor (Weight)	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5
Knowledge and Skills ([x]%)	Basic task knowledge	Trained in one area	Professional in a discipline	Expert across a discipline	Recognised authority
Problem Solving ([x]%)	Follows set steps	Chooses from known options	Analyses and recommends	Solves complex issues	Sets strategy
Accountability and Impact ([x]%)	Own tasks	Own work output	Team or process results	Department results	Business unit results
People Management ([x]%)	None	Guides juniors	Leads a small team	Leads managers	Leads a function
Relationships ([x]%)	Within team	Within department	Across functions	External partners	Senior external stakeholders

2. Job Scoring

Job Title	Knowledge	Problem Solving	Accountability	People Mgmt	Relationships	Weighted Score	Grade
[Designation]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[Score]	[Grade]
[Designation]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[Score]	[Grade]
[Designation]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[Score]	[Grade]
[Designation]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[1–5]	[Score]	[Grade]

3. Score-to-Grade Conversion

Template · Word

Job Grade Matrix

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[Company Logo][Company Name]

SALARY INCREMENT LETTER

Ref. No.:: [Reference Number]
Date:: [Date]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]
[Designation], [Department]
[Work Location]

Subject: Increment in Salary

Dear [Employee Name],
Congratulations! In recognition of [Reason – e.g. your successful confirmation / completion of the Certification Name certification / your contribution to Project Name], we are happy to grant you an increment in your salary.

Particulars	Details
Current Gross Monthly Salary	₹[Amount]
Increment Amount (per month)	₹[Amount]
Increment Percentage	[Percentage]%
Revised Gross Monthly Salary	₹[Amount]
Revised Annual CTC	₹[CTC]
Effective From	[Effective Date]

The increment will be distributed across your salary components as per company policy, and a revised salary breakup is available from HR on request. Statutory contributions such as PF will be adjusted in line with the revised Basic.

Letter · Word

Salary Increment Letter

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[Company Logo][Company Name]

SALARY REVISION LETTER

Ref. No.:: [Reference Number]
Date:: [Date]

Private and Confidential
To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]
[Designation], [Department]

Subject: Revision of Salary

Dear [Employee Name],
We are pleased to inform you that the management has reviewed your compensation and approved a revision of your salary. Your annual Cost to Company is revised from ₹[Previous CTC] to ₹[CTC], effective [Effective Date].

Component	Previous Monthly (₹)	Revised Monthly (₹)
Basic Salary	[Amount]	[Basic Salary]
House Rent Allowance	[Amount]	[HRA]
Special Allowance	[Amount]	[Amount]
Gross Salary	[Amount]	[Amount]
Employer PF	[Amount]	[Amount]
Gratuity Provision	[Amount]	[Amount]
Monthly CTC	[Amount]	[Amount]
Annual CTC	[Previous CTC]	[CTC]

The revised salary will be reflected in your payroll for [Month YYYY]. Arrears from [Effective Date] to [Date], if any, will be paid along with the salary of [Month YYYY], subject to applicable statutory deductions.

Letter · Word

Salary Revision Letter

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[Company Logo][Company Name]
PROMOTION LETTER
Ref. No.:
[Reference Number]
Date:
[Date]
To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]
[Designation], [Department]
[Work Location]
Subject: Promotion to [New Designation]
Dear [Employee Name],
We are delighted to inform you that, in recognition of your performance and contribution, you have been promoted to the position of [New Designation] in Grade [New Grade], with effect from [DD/MM/YYYY].
Consequent to this promotion, your annual Cost to Company (CTC) has been revised to ₹[Revised CTC] (Rupees [Amount in Words] only). The component-wise breakup is given in the enclosed Annexure. Statutory deductions such as PF and professional tax will apply as per law.
Letter · Word
Promotion Letter
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[Company Logo][Company Name]
PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENT
Subject: Congratulations to [Employee Name] on Promotion as [New Designation]
From:
[HR Name] / [Department Head]
To:
[Distribution List]
Date:
[Date]
Ref. No.:
[Reference Number]
Dear Team,
We are pleased to announce that [Employee Name], currently [Current Designation] in the [Department] team, has been promoted to [New Designation] with effect from [Effective Date].
[Employee Name] joined [Company Name] on [Date of Joining] and has consistently delivered strong results. Some notable contributions include [Achievement 1], [Achievement 2] and [Achievement 3]. This promotion recognises that commitment and the trust the leadership team places in [his/her/their] ability to take on larger responsibilities.
New Responsibilities
Email template · Word
Promotion Announcement
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[Company Logo][Company Name]

DESIGNATION CHANGE LETTER

Ref. No.:: [Reference Number]
Date:: [Date]

To,
[Employee Name]
Employee ID: [Employee ID]
[Department]
[Work Location]

Subject: Change in Designation

Dear [Employee Name],

This is to inform you that, consequent to [reason, e.g. the restructuring of the Operations function / harmonisation of job titles across locations / your move to the Customer Success team], your designation has been changed as detailed below with effect from [Effective Date].

Particulars	Existing	Revised
Designation	[Current Designation]	[New Designation]
Grade / Band	[Current Grade]	[Revised Grade]
Department	[Department]	[Revised Department]
Reporting Manager	[Current Manager]	[Reporting Manager]

Letter · Word

Designation Change Letter

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Succession Planning Matrix

Preview of the template

1. Critical Roles Matrix

2. Summary

3. Priority Actions

Readiness Definitions

What this template includes

When to use it

How to customise this template

HR tips

Hire top talent from BetterJobs

Frequently asked questions

Related HR templates