Performance Improvement Planning and Format

Looking for a format that's a winner when you want to help an underperforming employee succeed? Many employees, managers, and HR professionals see an employee performance improvement plan as a step in documenting poor performance that eventually allows you to fire the employee. Not so. Used correctly, the performance improvement plan can help an employee succeed ...

The purpose of a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is to help an employee succeed. As an example, a plant manager was given an eleven point improvement plan with clear measurables for each of the eleven goals. He told me later that receiving the PIP was like being hit in the head with a two by four. Suddenly, he "got" the key outcomes he was supposed to accomplish. The end of the story? He succeeded and was later promoted.

This format enables you to set goals, establish measures, conduct review sessions and chart progress. Not convinced of the need for this procedure? Check out my introduction to the form. You'll be happy you did.