Identifying key components of a PIP

The following should be addressed in any Performance Improvement Plan:

1. Description of the problem. This portion of the document is usually covered in one to three paragraphs that outline the employee’s performance problem to this current day. It is specific, descriptive, and objective. It does not include generalizations, labels, or unsubstantiated assumptions.

Must be specific, tied to work, clearly explaining the result of the employee’s action or lack of action. Not just identifying the problem, but why it is a problem. Don’t pad this section with what employee is doing well to try and soften the message – it will usually backfire. In order to make the information clear, you may want to use bullets, rather than a narrative, but the style is up to you. There are no specific rules nor is there a standard form. That allows you to adapt the document to the person, the situation and your own style.

2. A list of specific improvement expectations. This should tie each performance problem or issue to the task and/or behavioral expectation. It is often helpful to reference resources such as the employee’s job doc, the Hazelden Behavioral Competencies, or the Employee Handbook.

Again, this needs to be specific and clear – don’t use generalizations (you need to have a better attitude, you need to “step up to the plate”, because the employee cannot do anything with that expectation and it leaves too much up to interpretation.

3. The plan for how performance will be improved. This will includes timeframes, how follow-up on progress will happen, how often you will meet to discuss the objectives, and what consequences may result if the plan is not followed and/or if the improvement is not satisfactory or if satisfactory performance does not continue over time.

This part explains what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Goals should be SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. Some goals may be immediate, others can take a while depending on the nature of the work (how often is it done?) or if the employee needs to have additional training or practice.