SUCCESSION PLANNING AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE (A CASE STUDY OF ACCESS BANK, IKOT EKPENE, AKWA IBOM STATE)

The study is on Succession planning and organizational performance using Access bank Plc,, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State as a case study. To accomplish the research objectives, the study adopted the survey research design while the Taro Yamene formula was used to select sixty-two (62) respondents as a sample size for the study. Instrument of the study was a self-developed questionnaire and the forms were personally administered. Hypotheses and research questions were formulated to guide the study and data were analyzed using simple percentages and chi-square (x2) statistical tool. Findings for the study revealed that: there is a significant effect of talent identification on organizational performance, there is a significant effect of leadership development on organizational performance, there is a significant effect of performance management on organizational performance and there is a significant effect of career pathway on organizational performance. The study recommended that managers need to include succession planning as succession planning aligns talent development with the organization's strategic objectives as by identifying and nurturing future leaders who can drive the company’s vision forward, succession planning supports the achievement of long-term success and management needs to invest in succession plan as Implementing a succession planning process helps provides a structure where team members' talent reviews are directly linked to developmental action plans as these plans, in turn, establish possible pathways for potential future leaders, accounting for the organization’s overall strategy and current talent pipeline strength.