The Difference Between Career Pathing and Succession Management

Career pathing and succession management are foundational concepts in talent management. Despite their frequent mention in HR strategies, the distinctions between the two—and their unique benefits—are often misunderstood. Organizations that prioritize one over the other may miss critical opportunities to develop a more engaged, agile, and future-ready workforce. For businesses aiming to thrive in today’s competitive landscape, understanding and implementing both career pathing and succession management is not just beneficial but essential.

Why Difference Between Career Pathing and Succession Management Matters

Succession management has long been a cornerstone of high-performing organizations, ensuring leadership pipelines remain robust and critical roles are filled with capable talent. However, on its own, succession management falls short of addressing the needs and aspirations of today’s workforce. Modern employees value career development, autonomy, and experiences as much as—or more than—financial compensation. In fact, research from Hays reveals that four out of five employees would leave their current roles if offered a more appealing opportunity elsewhere. Interestingly, this decision is not solely tied to higher salaries; many are willing to compromise on pay for better career development, workplace culture, and benefits.

The growing emphasis on career development reflects a broader shift from a traditional career ladder model to one focused on diverse career experiences. Yet only 37% of organizations report being “ready” or “very ready” to address this transition, according to recent studies. To effectively respond, HR leaders must distinguish between career pathing and succession management and create strategies that bridge the gap between the two.

What Sets Career Pathing and Succession Management Apart?

While career pathing and succession management are complementary, their focus, drivers, and execution are fundamentally different.

Succession management is primarily employer-driven. It focuses on identifying and nurturing talent to fill roles that are critical to the business’s future. This top-down approach ensures that a skilled talent pool is ready to step into key positions when vacancies arise, minimizing disruption and maintaining continuity.

Career pathing, on the other hand, is an employee-driven process. It empowers individuals to take ownership of their career trajectories within the organization. By giving employees the tools and resources to assess their skills, explore opportunities, and chart their development, career pathing fosters engagement, autonomy, and a sense of purpose.

When HR leaders view these practices as separate but interdependent, they can create a cohesive talent management strategy that aligns organizational goals with employee aspirations. This alignment not only enhances engagement but also reduces turnover and strengthens the organization’s employer brand.

Bridging the gap with Career Pathing

Career pathing is about creating an employee-centric approach to growth. It begins with self-assessment, where employees evaluate their abilities, interests, and long-term aspirations. This introspection helps them identify roles that align with their skills and potential while highlighting areas for development.

Flexibility is critical in career pathing. Employees should be encouraged to explore multiple career options and develop plans that balance short-term goals with long-term ambitions. By providing access to career counseling, learning resources, and clear pathways for progression, organizations can help employees create actionable plans tailored to their unique journeys.

To succeed, career pathing must be supported by technology and data. Platforms that recommend career paths, highlight job enhancement opportunities, and suggest rotational roles aligned with employees’ skills and goals can empower individuals to take meaningful steps in their careers. When employees see a clear connection between their efforts and their professional growth, engagement and satisfaction naturally increase.

Essential steps of career pathing

1. Your employee carries out a self-assessment of their own individual abilities, interests, career aspirations and goals. This includes evaluating and understanding their current skills and experience that can help them to identify roles which may fulfill their potential.
2. Multiple career options are mapped out based on that self-evaluation to enable them to develop a career plan focused on both short-term and long term career goals.
3. Flexibility with career pathing is essential as the focus shifts to the employee experience.
4. Career counseling may be helpful to ensure goals are realistic and an effective plan is created.
5. Employees are empowered and enabled by recommending career paths, job enhancement, vacancies and job rotations aligned to skills, goals and aspirations.

Planning for success with Succession Management

Succession management addresses the organization’s needs from a strategic perspective. Rather than focusing on individual growth, it ensures the company is prepared to meet future challenges by maintaining a pipeline of capable talent for business-critical roles. This involves identifying key positions, evaluating the competencies required for those roles, and assessing existing employees against these criteria.

The goal is not merely to fill roles but to prepare employees to succeed in them. This preparation requires a combination of targeted development plans and experiential learning opportunities. By identifying skills gaps and creating structured plans to close them, HR leaders can ensure employees are ready for promotions when the need arises. Succession management is most effective when it extends beyond leadership roles, addressing critical positions at all levels of the organization.

1. Business critical roles are identified which require succession planning.
2. The competencies and experience needed for each of these roles are evaluated.
3. Existing employees are evaluated against these requirements and key talent is identified in terms of performance and potential for meeting future skills needs.
4. For each individual, the development needs and skills gaps required to take them to the next level are identified.
5. Employees are then enabled to be prepared for future promotions, ideally focusing on experiences.
6. A development plan is then prepared which is mapped out identifying progress along the way.

Both career pathing and succession planning must be carried out as stand-alone exercises which enable HR to identify the similarities and highlight the disparities between employee expectations and aligning skills with business goals and strategies.

Research from Gallup suggests that listening to what your top performances value most helps to improve retention and improve your company culture. Defining distinct yet aligned strategies around career pathing and succession planning are crucial to achieving that.

Aligning Career Pathing and Succession Management for Organizational Success

While career pathing and succession management serve different purposes, their integration creates a powerful synergy. Career pathing emphasizes the individual’s journey, fostering a culture of growth and empowerment. Succession management, on the other hand, ensures organizational resilience by proactively addressing future talent needs. Together, these strategies bridge the gap between personal aspirations and business objectives.

This alignment benefits both employees and the organization. Employees gain a sense of purpose and clarity about their future within the company, leading to increased engagement and loyalty. Meanwhile, the organization reduces turnover, strengthens its leadership pipeline, and builds a workforce capable of adapting to change.

One key to achieving this integration is recognizing and addressing the disparities between employee expectations and organizational goals. Employees may value diverse experiences, learning opportunities, and autonomy, while organizations prioritize readiness for specific roles. By leveraging data and insights to find common ground, HR leaders can create strategies that satisfy both parties.

The Role of Technology in Supporting Career Pathing and Succession Management

Technology plays an essential role in the successful implementation of both career pathing and succession management. Modern platforms enable HR leaders to assess skills, identify gaps, and recommend tailored development plans. These tools also provide employees with the resources they need to explore opportunities and track their progress.

For example, succession planning software can help organizations map critical roles, evaluate potential successors, and monitor their readiness over time. Career pathing software, meanwhile, can recommend personalized career journeys, highlight skill-building opportunities, and provide visibility into potential future roles. Together, these technologies create a seamless experience that integrates individual aspirations with organizational needs.

The Bottom Line: Investing in Growth and Resilience

Organizations that differentiate and align career pathing and succession management are better positioned to navigate the complexities of today’s workforce landscape. Employees who feel empowered to shape their careers are more engaged, motivated, and likely to stay with the company. At the same time, a robust succession management strategy ensures that the organization remains agile and prepared for the future.

To achieve this, HR leaders must move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. They must invest in tools, resources, and strategies that address the unique needs of both employees and the business. By doing so, they can create a culture of growth, resilience, and adaptability—one where employees and the organization thrive together.

To learn more about how TalentGuard can support your career pathing and succession strategies, explore our software. These solutions are designed to help businesses foster a competitive culture, improve retention, and build a future-ready workforce. Request a demo today.