Performance improvement plan: how to write one that actually works

What a PIP is, and what it is not

A PIP is a structured coaching tool. It turns vague dissatisfaction (“you need to step it up”) into a short list of observable expectations, a deadline and a support plan. When it is done honestly, many employees use it to get back on track, and managers learn whether the problem was skill, clarity, resources or motivation.

A PIP is not a formality before a termination that has already been decided. Employees can tell when a plan is designed to fail, and so can a judge or agency reviewing a later claim. If you have already decided to end employment, a PIP wastes everyone’s time and may create a misleading record. For conduct problems such as harassment, theft or violence, use your disciplinary process instead; see the corrective action plan guide.

When a PIP is the right tool

Before writing a PIP, ask whether the employee has had clear, documented feedback about the issue. A PIP should rarely be the first time someone hears there is a problem. If it is, start with a candid conversation and a few weeks of coaching. The how to improve employee performance guide covers that earlier stage.

Find the real cause first

Performance problems have causes, and the plan should target the cause. Common ones include unclear expectations, missing training, broken tools or processes, an overloaded schedule, a poor fit between the person and the role, personal or health problems and, less often than managers assume, lack of effort.

• Look at the data: errors, output, customer complaints, missed deadlines, attendance records.
• Compare with peers doing the same work under the same conditions.
• Ask the employee what is getting in the way. You may learn about a broken process that affects the whole team.
• Check whether expectations were ever written down or explained.

What to include in a PIP

1. The performance gap. Describe the specific issue with examples and dates, not personality labels. “Seven of the last twenty orders packed had missing items” instead of “careless”.
2. The expected standard. State what good performance looks like in measurable terms.
3. Goals for the plan period. Two to four goals that are specific, measurable and achievable in the time allowed.
4. Support provided. Training, shadowing, updated checklists, tools, a mentor or a temporary schedule change.
5. Check-in schedule. Dates for weekly or biweekly reviews, and who attends.
6. Duration. Commonly 30, 60 or 90 days, depending on how long it takes to show improvement.
7. Possible outcomes. Explain what happens if goals are met, partly met or not met, including that employment may end.
8. Signatures. The employee signs to acknowledge receipt, not agreement, and can add written comments.

Writing measurable goals

Each goal should be something the employee can control and the manager can observe or measure. Avoid goals that depend mostly on other people, and avoid standards that are higher than what peers achieve.

How long should a PIP last?

Thirty days fits simple, frequently repeated tasks where improvement shows quickly. Sixty to ninety days fits roles where results take longer to appear, such as sales cycles or complex projects. Longer plans lose urgency; shorter ones may not give a fair chance. Whatever you choose, keep the check-in dates on the calendar and do not let them slip, because missed check-ins undermine the whole plan.

Running the PIP meeting

1. Meet privately, ideally with HR or a second manager present.
2. Explain that the goal is to help the employee succeed, and mean it.
3. Walk through each section of the plan with examples.
4. Invite questions and the employee’s view of the causes. Note anything that might change the plan, such as missing tools.
5. Agree on the first check-in date before the meeting ends.
6. Give the employee a copy and time to read it before signing.
7. Afterward, write a short summary of what was said.

During the plan: check-ins and documentation

Hold each check-in on schedule. Review progress against each goal with data, recognize improvement honestly and give specific direction where the employee is still falling short. Write brief notes after every meeting and share them with the employee.

Keep providing the promised support. If you said the employee would get two shadow shifts with a senior colleague and that never happened, the plan is not fair, and that will be obvious to anyone reviewing it later. Accurate records of schedules, hours and assigned work also help show that the employee had a fair chance; see time record retention requirements.

Ending the plan

If employment ends, follow your state’s final paycheck timing rules and treat the person respectfully. See how to fire an employee for the steps.

Legal risks to watch

• Retaliation. A PIP issued shortly after an employee complains about discrimination, harassment, wages or safety, or takes protected leave, can look retaliatory even if the performance issue is real. Get HR or legal review in these situations.
• Inconsistency. Putting one employee on a PIP for problems you tolerate in others invites discrimination claims.
• Disability and leave. Performance problems connected to a medical condition may trigger the ADA interactive process or FMLA rights.
• Moving targets. Changing goals mid-plan without explanation makes the plan look designed to fail.
• Pay rules. Training and check-ins during the plan are work time for non-exempt employees and must be paid.

Sample PIP outline

Employee, role, manager, start and end dates.

1. Summary of the performance concern, with three to five dated examples.
2. Prior feedback given, with dates.
3. Expected standard for the role.
4. Goals for this plan, each with a measure and a target date.
5. Support the company will provide.
6. Check-in schedule.
7. Outcomes: what happens if goals are met, partly met or not met.
8. Employee comments.
9. Signatures and dates.

Common mistakes

• Using a PIP as the first sign of a problem.
• Vague goals that cannot be measured.
• Skipping or postponing check-ins.
• Promising support that never arrives.
• Ignoring a health or personal issue the employee raised.
• Writing the PIP after deciding to terminate.

Example (fictional)

A warehouse picker had error rates three times the team average for six weeks. The supervisor learned that the picker had never been trained on the newer scanner workflow. The 45-day plan included two training shifts, a laminated checklist and weekly error reviews. By week five, errors were at the team average, and the plan closed with a written note of success.

How EZTime helps

EZTime does not provide a PIP or performance review module. It supports the plan around it: task management with photo proof gives a clear record of assigned work, digital HR forms and e-signatures let employees acknowledge a written plan, and the digital employee file keeps the documents together. Accurate time records show schedules and hours during the plan period.

Frequently asked questions

Where to go next