Why nearly nine in 10 businesses find succession plans ineffective

More than half cited lack of clear policies and difficulty identifying potential.

Nearly nine in 10 Singapore businesses said their succession planning strategies were less effective than desired, with 73% facing difficulties putting them into practice, according to Robert Walters.

The report showed more than half, or 54%, said their companies lack clarity on policies and procedures surrounding succession planning, whilst 51% cited difficulty identifying high-potential employees.

Another 3% reported insufficient resources for training and development, it added.

The findings come as employers place greater emphasis on workers who can combine domain expertise with the ability to work alongside emerging technologies.

Separate data from JobStreet by SEEK showed that demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related roles was concentrated at the mid- to senior level in the second quarter. Entry-level positions accounted for just 16% of AI job opportunities, compared with 84% for non-entry-level roles.

Meanwhile, Singapore Polytechnic has launched a Human Capital Collaboratory that follows a four-step process covering business challenges, work redesign, human capability development, and sustained business value.

The succession-planning challenges are also emerging as the workforce ages, Robert Walters said. Citizens aged 65 and above made up 20.7% of the citizen population in 2025, up from 13.1% in 2015, and are expected to represent 23.9% by 2030.

Amongst businesses surveyed, 39% do not have a formal plan in place.

About 36% said the potential loss of critical skills and experience was affecting their succession planning, 25% cited difficulty finding suitable replacements for retiring employees, and 17.5% reported challenges transferring knowledge and expertise to younger employees.

Cultural factors are also affecting leadership pipelines. Some 62% of respondents cited an emphasis on harmony within organisations as a challenge to succession planning. Another 40% pointed to respect for hierarchy and seniority.

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