Nobody likes writing a Performance Improvement Plan. The manager dreads the conversation. The employee dreads receiving it. And if I’m being honest, most PIPs I’ve seen aren’t set up to actually improve anything. They’re set up to create a paper trail for termination.
That’s a waste of everyone’s time. A good PIP should genuinely give someone the chance to turn things around. And if they can’t, it should protect you legally because you gave them a fair, documented opportunity.
Here’s how to write one that does both.
When a PIP Is (and Isn’t) the Right Tool
A PIP makes sense when an employee who was previously performing well has started falling short, and you’ve already had at least one informal conversation about it. The key word is “already.” A PIP should never be the first time someone hears there’s a problem.
A PIP does not make sense for:
- Serious misconduct (theft, harassment, safety violations). Those call for immediate disciplinary action, not a 30-day improvement plan.
- Someone who was never trained properly. That’s an onboarding failure, not a performance failure. Fix the training first.
- A role that’s simply a bad fit. If someone is in the wrong job, a PIP won’t change that. Have an honest conversation about whether there’s a better seat on the bus.
What Goes Into a Good PIP
Every PIP should answer four questions clearly:
1. What’s the problem? Be specific. “Needs to improve communication” isn’t good enough. “Has missed three client response deadlines in the last month, resulting in two client complaints” is.
2. What does success look like? Define measurable goals. “Respond to all client inquiries within 24 hours” or “Complete weekly status reports by Friday at 3 PM.” If you can’t measure it, your employee can’t hit it, and you can’t defend it.
3. What support are you providing? This is where most PIPs fall short. You can’t just hand someone a list of failures and say “fix it.” What training, tools, mentoring, or schedule adjustments are you offering? A PIP that provides no support looks punitive, and it is.
4. What happens if the goals aren’t met? Be direct. “Failure to meet these objectives by [date] may result in further disciplinary action, up to and including termination.” Don’t bury this or sugarcoat it. Clarity is kinder than ambiguity.
The Mistakes That Undermine Your PIP
Using vague language. “Improve your attitude” is subjective and unenforceable. Every goal in the PIP should be tied to observable, documented behavior or measurable output.
Setting unrealistic timelines. A 30-day PIP for someone who needs to learn a new software system is setting them up to fail. Match the timeline to the complexity of what you’re asking. Most PIPs run 30-90 days, and longer is sometimes appropriate.
Skipping the check-ins. If you write a PIP and then don’t meet with the employee until the end date, you’ve wasted the process. Schedule weekly or biweekly check-ins. Document what was discussed. Give feedback in real time, not just at the finish line.
Not documenting everything. Every conversation, every milestone, every piece of feedback should be documented. If this ever becomes a legal matter, your documentation is your defense. “We talked about it” doesn’t hold up. “On March 12, we met and discussed X, and the employee acknowledged Y” does.
Making it personal. A PIP should focus on job performance and workplace behavior, not personality. “You’re not a team player” is an opinion. “You declined to participate in three required team meetings in February without prior approval” is a fact.
Forgetting to include the support piece. I can’t stress this enough. If your PIP is all stick and no carrot, it reads as a termination setup. Include training, mentoring, adjusted workload, or whatever the employee genuinely needs to succeed. If they still don’t improve despite real support, your position is much stronger.
What Happens When It Works
I’ve seen PIPs genuinely turn employees around. One client had a long-tenured employee whose work quality had been slipping for months. Turned out the employee was dealing with a personal situation they hadn’t felt comfortable disclosing. The PIP process, specifically the structured check-ins, opened up a conversation that hadn’t happened before. With some schedule flexibility and clear expectations, the employee was back on track within six weeks.
That’s the best-case scenario. And it happens more often than people think when the PIP is written with the genuine intent to help.
What Happens When It Doesn’t
If an employee doesn’t meet the PIP’s goals despite genuine support and clear expectations, you have a documented, defensible basis for further action. Your next steps might include extending the PIP, reassignment, or termination, depending on the situation and your company’s disciplinary process.
The key is consistency. Whatever you do for one employee, you should be prepared to do for any employee in a similar situation. Inconsistent application of PIPs is one of the fastest ways to create legal exposure.
A Note on Legal Protection
A well-written PIP protects both the employee and the employer. For the employee, it provides fair notice and a real opportunity to improve. For the employer, it documents that you acted reasonably and in good faith.
That said, a PIP is not a legal shield against all claims. If the underlying issue involves discrimination, retaliation, or other protected activity, a PIP won’t protect you. If you’re dealing with a situation that feels legally complicated, talk to an HR professional or employment attorney before putting a PIP in place.
Need help building a PIP process for your team, or dealing with a tricky performance situation right now? Schedule a free consultation and we’ll work through it with you. You can also check out our post on building HR policies that work for guidance on creating the broader performance management framework your PIPs should fit into.
