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How to write a performance improvement plan (PIP) that works

Published · Hiring and HR letters

A performance improvement plan (PIP) tells an employee, in writing, what is not working, what good performance looks like, what help they will get and by when they need to improve. Done well, it gives a struggling employee a real chance. Done badly, it reads as a formality before a dismissal, and nobody improves.

When a PIP makes sense

Use a PIP when the problem is performance (missed targets, poor quality, slow work) and earlier informal feedback has not worked. Misconduct, such as harassment or theft, calls for a disciplinary process instead, and a one-off mistake usually needs a conversation, not a plan. If the manager does not believe the employee can improve, or will not make time for regular check-ins, a PIP is the wrong tool.

What to include

  1. The employee, the manager and the plan period, with start and end dates.
  2. The concerns, with examples. Name dates, figures and work products: "three of the last five client reports were sent after the agreed deadline", not "needs to raise the bar".
  3. Earlier discussions: when the issue was raised before, if it was.
  4. Goals that can be measured. Each one says what will be done, how it will be measured and by when.
  5. The support the company will give: training, closer supervision, clearer priorities, tools or time.
  6. The check-in schedule, usually weekly or every two weeks, with written notes after each one.
  7. The possible outcomes: the plan ends successfully, is extended, or further action follows, up to dismissal.
  8. An acknowledgement that the employee received and discussed the plan, with room for their comments.

How long a PIP should last

Long enough for the goals to be achievable and for improvement to show. Thirty days is a common minimum, and 60 or 90 days is typical for roles where results take longer to appear. Say in the plan that it can be extended, for example if the employee is on leave for part of it.

Writing goals people can meet

  • Tie every goal to one of the concerns above it.
  • Use numbers or observable results where you can: response times, error rates, deadlines met.
  • Keep to three to five goals. A plan with fifteen reads as a list of reasons to fail.
  • Make sure the goals are the same standard others in the role are held to.

Running the plan

Hold every check-in you promised, and write a short summary after each one: what went well, what did not, and what changes before the next meeting. Recognise progress when you see it. At the end, meet to confirm the outcome in writing.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Vague concerns that the employee cannot act on.
  • Skipping check-ins, which leaves the employee guessing and weakens the record.
  • Asking the employee to agree rather than to acknowledge receipt. Disagreement does not stop the plan, and a refusal to sign can simply be noted.
  • Timing that looks like retaliation, such as starting a PIP straight after a complaint or a request for leave. Check with HR or a lawyer first in that situation.

Free template

The free performance improvement plan template has each section above, with a list of goals (each with a measure and due date), a list of support items and an optional at-will statement for US employers. If the plan does not succeed, the employee warning letter and termination letter templates cover the next steps.

General information, not legal advice. Employment law differs between countries and states.

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