How to effectively manage backfilling a position as a chief human resources officer

Understanding the importance of backfilling a position

Why Backfilling Matters for HR Leadership

When a chief human resources officer (CHRO) leaves a position—whether for a new opportunity, parental leave, or another type of absence—the impact on the organization can be significant. The CHRO plays a crucial role in shaping company culture, managing employee relations, and driving business strategy. A vacant position at this level can disrupt not only the HR team but also the entire organization’s workflow and morale.

Risks of Delayed or Poorly Managed Backfilling

Delaying the backfill process or failing to plan for a smooth transition can lead to several challenges. These include:

• Loss of strategic direction in HR initiatives
• Decreased employee engagement and uncertainty among team members
• Increased workload for current employees and hiring managers
• Potential delays in ongoing projects and succession planning

Backfilling a position, especially at the executive level, is not just about filling a job. It’s about ensuring the organization maintains momentum and continues to meet its business goals.

Strategic Value of a Backfill Plan

Developing a backfill plan for a CHRO role requires a clear understanding of the job description, the skills needed, and the long-term objectives of the business. Whether the employee leaves temporarily or permanently, having a strategy in place helps minimize disruption and supports the team through the transition. This approach also aligns with best practices in succession planning and employee promotion, ensuring that the organization is prepared for both planned and unexpected absences.

For more insights on how broader business risks can impact the CHRO role, see this resource on how tax risk management in corporations impacts the chief human resources officer role.

Identifying the right timing for backfilling

Recognizing the Right Moment to Start the Backfill Process

Timing is everything when it comes to backfilling a chief human resources officer position. Acting too quickly or too late can disrupt the team, impact business continuity, and affect employee morale. The right moment to begin the backfill process depends on several factors, including the reason for the vacancy, the notice period, and the organization’s succession planning strategy.

• Planned Leaves: If the CHRO is going on parental leave or a planned leave of absence, start the backfill plan early. This gives you time to update the job description, post the job, and assess internal and external candidates.
• Unexpected Departures: When an employee leaves suddenly, the time backfill becomes critical. Quickly evaluating current employees for a potential promotion or interim role can help maintain stability while you search for a permanent replacement.
• Succession Planning: Organizations with robust succession planning can often fill vacant positions faster. Identifying potential successors in advance allows for a smoother transition and less disruption to ongoing work.

It’s important to balance the urgency of filling the position with the need to find the right fit. Rushing the hiring process can lead to mismatches, while waiting too long can leave the team without leadership. Consider the impact on team members and ongoing projects when deciding when to backfill the position.

For more insights on how different types of employees, such as 1099 workers, can influence your backfilling strategy, check out this article on understanding the role of 1099 employees in today's workforce.

Challenges unique to chief human resources officers

Complexity of the Chief Human Resources Officer Role

Backfilling a chief human resources officer (CHRO) position is not like filling most other jobs. The CHRO is responsible for shaping the organization’s people strategy, leading succession planning, and ensuring the business has the right talent to meet its goals. When this role becomes vacant, the impact is felt across the entire organization. The time to backfill such a position is often critical, as delays can disrupt ongoing HR initiatives and affect employee morale.

Unique Challenges in Backfilling a CHRO

• Strategic Influence: The CHRO is a key advisor to senior leadership. Losing this voice, even temporarily, can slow down decision-making and affect business outcomes.
• Confidentiality and Trust: The CHRO handles sensitive employee data, succession plans, and sometimes even confidential business strategies. Ensuring a smooth handover without risking confidentiality is a unique challenge.
• Internal vs. External Backfill: Deciding whether to promote a current employee or hire externally is more complex at this level. Internal candidates may know the organization but might lack certain strategic skills. External hires can bring fresh perspectives but need time to understand the culture and team dynamics.
• Succession Planning: Many organizations lack a clear backfill plan for their top HR role. This can lead to rushed hiring processes or interim solutions that may not serve the long-term needs of the business.
• Maintaining Team Stability: The HR team often looks to the CHRO for guidance, especially during times of change. A vacant position can create uncertainty among team members and other employees.

Balancing Immediate Needs and Long-Term Strategy

Backfilling a CHRO position requires balancing the urgent need to fill the role with the importance of finding the right fit for the organization’s future. Hiring managers must consider not just the job description, but also the leadership qualities and vision needed to drive the business forward. This is why succession planning and a clear backfill plan are essential. For more on the essentials of people management and the strategic role HR leaders play, see this guide to people management for HR leaders.

Best practices for a smooth transition

Ensuring Continuity and Minimizing Disruption

When a chief human resources officer (CHRO) position becomes vacant, the transition can impact the entire organization. To maintain stability, it’s crucial to have a clear backfill plan in place. This involves more than just posting a job or filling a role quickly. The process should be structured to support both the team and the business in the short and long term.

Key Steps for a Seamless Transition

• Update the job description: Review and revise the job description to reflect current business needs and expectations. This ensures that the new hire or promoted employee is set up for success from day one.
• Communicate with the team: Open communication with team members is essential. Let employees know about the backfilling process, expected timelines, and how their work may be affected. This helps reduce uncertainty and keeps morale high.
• Leverage succession planning: If your organization has a succession plan, use it to identify potential internal candidates. This can shorten the time to backfill and provide growth opportunities for current employees.
• Assign interim responsibilities: If the position will be vacant for an extended period, designate an interim leader or distribute key responsibilities among trusted team members. This keeps critical work moving forward.
• Support the onboarding process: Whether you hire internally or externally, a structured onboarding process is vital. Provide resources, mentorship, and clear expectations to help the new CHRO integrate smoothly.

Collaboration Between HR and Leadership

Effective position backfilling requires close collaboration between HR, hiring managers, and business leaders. Regular check-ins ensure that the hiring process aligns with organizational goals and that any challenges are addressed promptly. This partnership also helps identify skills gaps and training needs for both the incoming CHRO and the team.

Documenting Lessons Learned

After the backfill position is filled, take time to review what worked well and what could be improved. Documenting these insights will strengthen your organization’s approach to future backfilling positions, whether for parental leave, employee promotion, or other types of leave absence.

Evaluating internal versus external candidates

Comparing Internal and External Talent Pools

When a chief human resources officer (CHRO) position becomes vacant, organizations face a critical decision: should they promote from within or seek external candidates? Both options have unique advantages and challenges, and the right choice depends on the organization's needs, timing, and long-term goals.

Internal Candidates: Advantages and Considerations

• Faster integration: Current employees already understand the company culture, business processes, and team dynamics. This can shorten the time needed to fill the role and reduce onboarding challenges.
• Succession planning: Promoting internally supports succession planning and signals growth opportunities to employees, which can boost morale and retention.
• Skill gaps: Sometimes, internal candidates may lack specific skills or experiences needed for the CHRO role. Assessing readiness and providing targeted development is essential.
• Backfill ripple effect: Promoting someone internally creates another vacant position that will also need to be backfilled, so a clear backfill plan is crucial.

External Candidates: Advantages and Considerations

• Fresh perspectives: Hiring externally can bring new ideas, skills, and approaches to the organization, which may be valuable during times of change or transformation.
• Broader experience: External candidates may have experience in different industries or with specific challenges relevant to the organization's current needs.
• Longer hiring process: Recruiting externally often takes more time, from posting the job to onboarding the new hire. This can leave the position vacant longer, impacting the team and business continuity.
• Cultural fit: Integrating an external hire into the existing team and culture can require additional effort and support.

Key Factors for Decision-Making

To make the best choice, hiring managers and HR leaders should consider:

• The urgency of the backfill position and how long the role can remain vacant
• The current skills and readiness of internal candidates
• The potential for employee promotion and development
• Business needs and long-term strategy
• The impact on team members and ongoing work

Best Practices for a Fair Evaluation

• Use a clear, updated job description to assess all candidates
• Involve key stakeholders in the hiring process
• Communicate transparently with employees about the process and timeline
• Consider interim solutions, such as temporary assignments or interim management, to maintain continuity during the search

Ultimately, whether you choose to backfill with an internal or external candidate, aligning the decision with your organization's values, business goals, and succession planning strategies will set the stage for a successful transition.

Measuring success after backfilling a position

Key Metrics to Track After Filling a Vacant Position

Once a backfill position is filled, measuring the success of your hiring process is essential. This step helps ensure that the organization’s investment in time and resources delivers long-term value. Here are some practical ways to evaluate the effectiveness of your backfilling plan:

• Time to Productivity: Monitor how quickly the new hire or promoted employee adapts to the role. Compare this with previous backfill positions to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Employee Retention: Track whether the new team member stays with the organization beyond the first year. High turnover after backfilling a position may signal issues with the hiring process or job description accuracy.
• Team Performance: Assess how the team functions after the backfill. Look for changes in morale, collaboration, and overall output. Feedback from team members and hiring managers can provide valuable insights.
• Achievement of Business Goals: Evaluate if the new employee helps the organization meet its business objectives. This could include hitting key performance indicators, supporting succession planning, or improving employee relations.
• Internal Mobility and Promotion Rates: If you promoted a current employee, review how this impacts internal mobility. A successful internal backfill can encourage others to develop their skills and pursue advancement.

Continuous Improvement in Backfilling Practices

Backfilling is not a one-time event. Regularly review your backfill plan and hiring process to identify what worked and what could be improved. Consider:

• Soliciting feedback from the new hire, team members, and hiring managers about the transition experience
• Analyzing the effectiveness of your job posting and selection criteria
• Reviewing how well succession planning prepared the organization for the employee’s leave or promotion

By focusing on these metrics and feedback loops, organizations can refine their approach to position backfilling, making future transitions smoother and more effective for both employees and the business.