SIXTY five per cent of Worcester's bosses recognise the need to make plans for when they step down.

This has been revealed in research just carried out by Allied Irish Bank (GB).

"It would be nice to think we'll all be here forever, running our own show," said Mark Duggan, senior manager for new business at the company's branch in St Mary's Street, Worcester.

"Many of the people we see as customers at the bank - and indeed, many of the people in this independent survey - have played an integral role in their business for many years, and so it's understandable they should have proprietorial pride in their achievement.

"But times change, we all get older, and at some point we'll need to back out gracefully and let someone else take over. And doing it gracefully means planning for it in advance. That's what many of the business leaders of Worcester recognise, and we urge others to do the same.

"Companies that recognise the significance of planning ahead should also think carefully about investing in training and staff development," added Mr Duggan.

"An important part of succession planning is making sure that when the boss steps down, the person that takes up the reins has all the necessary skills to make the changes as smooth as possible. We take this very seriously at the bank - that's why we've been re-accredited with Investors in People status for the third time."

Des Buckley, area director for Midlands at Allied Irish Bank (GB), which has six times been voted Britain's best business bank, added: "We're delighted that so many businesses in Worcester and the area around it see the importance of succession planning. We often provide advice in this area to business leaders. Several factors need to be considered, for instance, an externally-appointed successor might bring new ideas and new business contacts into the picture, but an in-house successor knows and is known by the business.

"It's good to plan ahead. It's especially good when you do so with the help of people who know you well, develop a real understanding of our clients and their businesses so we can give them the support they need. That's why we're so pleased to have so often been voted Britain's best business bank."

The survey also revealed other statistics. Succession planning was seen as a less important issue for businesses started in the 80s than those started before or since, suggesting that a generational cycle may be a factor.

Business sectors in which the issue was seen as particularly important were finance, transport and communications, business services, retail and manufacturing.