Be specific about what needs to improve
A PIP only works if the employee knows exactly what is falling short and what good looks like. Vague feedback like 'lift your game' helps no one. Set out the specific standards, with examples, so there is no room for confusion.
Link each point to something measurable and realistic: targets, deadlines, quality standards, behaviours. If you can't describe what success looks like, the plan isn't ready to start.
Write down the specific standards that aren't being met, with real examples, before you meet the employee.
Give real support and a fair timeframe
A PIP is meant to help someone improve, not to tick a box before dismissal. Offer the support that makes improvement possible: training, closer supervision, clearer priorities, or whatever the situation needs.
Give a reasonable period to turn things around, with check-ins along the way rather than a single verdict at the end. The timeframe should fit the role and the issue, not be so short that failure is guaranteed.
Agree the support you'll provide and a realistic timeframe, with regular check-ins built in.
Record everything and hold your nerve
Keep a written record of the standards set, the support given, the check-ins and the outcome. That record is what protects you if the plan doesn't work and you have to move to a formal capability process.
Stay consistent and fair throughout. If the employee improves, great. If they don't, you'll have a clear, documented, defensible basis for the next step, rather than a rushed decision that unravels later.
Document each stage as you go, so a fair process is on record whichever way it ends.
“I told Samantha she has balls of steel, and I meant it as the highest compliment. We had an employee situation nobody wanted to touch. She looked at it, told me straight what to do, and then dealt with it. No drama, no hiding behind process. That's exactly who you want in your corner when it matters.”
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Key takeaways
- A PIP gives a genuine chance to improve and a fair process if it doesn't work out.
- Be specific about the standards and what good looks like, with examples.
- Offer real support and a realistic timeframe, not a box-ticking countdown to dismissal.
- Record every stage. Not sure if it is time for a PIP? Take the free Situation Check.
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