How to Write a Performance Improvement Plan
A performance improvement plan is a great way to help underperforming employees. It can become difficult for an employer to terminate an employee due to performance, and the performance improvement plan is a perfect solution in these cases.
Employers evaluate employees’ performance annually to determine if they should be promoted or let go. This state is stressful for the employee and can lead to higher turnover rates. However, you can avoid this outcome and meet expectations with the proper guidance and advice from an experienced professional.
This blog post will discuss how to write a performance improvement plan that will help keep your valued team members on board while achieving success as an organization.
What is a Performance Improvement Plan?
A performance improvement plan (PIP) is a formal document for a struggling employee. It aims at helping an employee overcome performance pitfalls at work and pave the way in the form of the document progress. The framework is written by the employee’s manager and submitted to HR. It has a deadline for meeting the named objectives — around 30, 60, or 90 days. The criteria for employee success is anything from completing extra training to more regular check-ins, and ongoing coaching.
Employee Performance Improvement Plan is used to help an underperforming employee meet goals they are struggling to meet and attempt to curb maladaptive behaviors. At a reduced level, you can view an employee PIP as a probationary period for employees. A PIP often signals that the company wants to keep the employee. The ultimate goal of an employee improvement plan is to find a solution for both the employee, their professional development, and the organization. Clear communication between the manager and the team allows for a more effective PIP.
How to Develop a Performance Improvement Plan?
At this stage, you must understand what an employee is doing wrong that affects their performance. Define those negative points and include examples of poor work or behavior. Maybe a simple change in working schedule or some time off work will change the situation.
Give your workers a chance to be heard and encourage them to participate in their improvement; they will feel more committed to it. Give your employees an opportunity to change their work, and they’ll communicate. If there is no other choice than having the employee take the PIP, you might want to follow these steps to write an effective performance improvement plan:
1. Review Employee Performance in Detail
Before deciding if a PIP is a suitable option, it is essential to understand its performance. This strategy will help you better determine whether they are eligible:
- Is their performance below expectations?
- Do they need additional training on what’s expected for them to do at work?
Your company must have clear parameters and expectations in place to avoid confusion.
2. Set Specific Deliverables for Improvement
It’s essential to set specific goals that employees must meet. Make sure these are realistic but also measurable.
If the performance problem is related to something else, like the work environment or an issue with another person, it should be solved. When writing a performance improvement plan, make sure that the deliverables are precise enough for the employee to understand what they should do and when you expect them to complete their tasks.
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3. Engage the Employee in an Initial Conversation
Once you have outlined the specific deliverables in the performance improvement plan, it’s time to contact the employee. If possible, invite them into your office so you can have a conversation about what needs changing and how they will do that. The initial meeting should happen within two weeks of issuing the PIP, so this is also a good time for you to check up on the employee’s progress.
When engaging an employee in a conversation that might suggest they are performing below what’s listed in the job description, you need to become as compassionate and empathetic as possible.
Ask, “Can you tell me more about what’s been going on?” or “What can we do to help you improve performance?”
What you should do is start listing negative performance points. This structured approach will make it seem like you’re attacking the employee, leading to defensiveness or a lack of engagement from them.
Instead, use phrases that focus on identifying their strengths and highlighting what they are doing well before discussing areas where improvement is needed.
Ask them about how often they’ve been following up with deadlines for different tasks to see if there’s an issue that needs clarification. Thoughtful introspection by both parties may lead to some valuable solutions.
Your conversation should last no more than twenty minutes, and the person could get frustrated with talking so much about themselves.
4. Find the Cause of Poor Employee Performance
During your initial conversation, your main aim is to determine the cause of poor performance. Employees might be going through a challenging life event or experiencing discrimination on the job.
Ask them about this to find out what you can do to help their poor performance. Not finding the root cause of the problem will make it difficult for you to develop a solution.
5. Set Achievable Milestones
Once you have found the cause of the employee’s poor performance, you will present the deliverables to help them improve their performance. For achievable deliverables, they need to align with the employee’s skills and abilities.
For example, if you’re an accountant struggling with performance because of a lack of organizational or communication skills, your deliverables would make sense to organize files and create a collaborative process. Also, you might want to break down the deliverables into specific milestones to track progress. This approach will allow you to ensure that the employee is staying on track.
6. Provide Necessary Training
In some cases, employees might struggle with a skill that they need to learn but don’t have the time for. In this case, you should provide them with relevant training to improve their work performance in a particular area of weakness. Also, providing valuable training might help improve the overall employee experience in your company, which is one of the best ways to keep the employee turnover rate low.
7. Provide Guidance and Feedback
You must provide guidance and feedback to the employee and use proper tools. This strategy will allow you to see their progress and if any areas need more work.
8. Assess PIP Deliverables Accurately
It’s vital to assess the performance improvement plan periodically. This strategy will allow you to ensure it is on track and working for the employee. It would help if you also used this time to catch any changes that might have happened in your company since you started with the PIP process.
9. Take Early Actions to Prevent Employee Burnout
Employee burnout often results from too much work and insufficient time for recovery. It’s vital to take early action to prevent it from happening. This statement means you should give them a lighter workload, ensure they have breaks throughout their day, and provide support when needed.
10. Consider Giving Your Employee Some Time Off
If you’ve gone through all the other steps and your employees still aren’t improving, they may need some time off. This approach allows them to recharge their batteries to return with renewed energy and enthusiasm. Of course, they should not view it as a reward but rather as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of burnout.
11. Praise the Employee and Reward Their Success
The most important thing you can do is to praise your employee and reward their success. Whether it’s an outstanding performance on an assignment or they come in before the end of their shift without being asked, make sure you take notice and let them know how much it means to you. Doing so might also help you prevent them from getting complacent with their performance.
You can also reward them in other ways, such as a bonus or time off work to handle personal issues. It’s important not to overuse rewards for your employees. Still, you must use some form of positive reinforcement and positive aspects because this will make up for the negatives and help keep your employees motivated.
Conclusion
When implemented right, an employee improvement plan helps improve not only employee productivity but also behaviors. Human resource professionals are generally responsible for devising such employee performance improvement plans.
FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about performance improvement plans.
What is a Performance Improvement Plan?
A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a structured plan to help underperforming employees address and overcome performance deficiencies. By outlining specific goals, timelines, and resources, a PIP provides a clear path for employees to improve their work performance and meet the expectations of their role.
When is a Performance Improvement Plan Implemented?
A performance improvement plan (PIP) is typically implemented when an employee’s current performance does not meet the required standards. Performance deficiencies are often identified during regular performance reviews or through ongoing management observations. A PIP is then implemented to help guide the employee toward improvement.
How Can a Performance Improvement Plan Help an Employee Succeed?
A well-designed PIP offers structured guidance, feedback, and resources to help the employee succeed in their role. Defining objectives and setting achievable goals allows employees to focus on specific areas for improvement on employee’s input. Additionally, regular check-ins and support from management enable employees to track their progress and make adjustments as needed.
What Happens if an Employee Fails to Meet the Goals of a Performance Improvement Plan?
If an employee fails to meet the goals outlined in the performance improvement plan, the organization may consider further actions. Depending on the circumstances and company policy, this could include additional training, role reassessment, or termination. However, the goal of a PIP is always to give the employee every possible opportunity to succeed and improve their performance.
Are Performance Improvement Plans Only for Underperforming Employees?
While performance improvement plans are commonly used to address underperformance, they can also be a proactive tool to encourage growth in various skill areas. However, they are often associated with helping underperforming employees address a specific performance issue that prevents them from meeting role expectations.
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