How to discuss a performance improvement plan (PIP) with your employee

If you’re receiving this message, you’ve met with your manager and/or HR and have decided it’s time to create a formal Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for your employee (we have a template you can use here). Here’s guidance for that conversation.

Before the conversation:

1. Gather the performance feedback you’ve documented and shared with your employee from prior conversations. You may want to practice the conversation with another manager or HR team member.
2. Decide what support you will provide to the employee to improve their performance, such as additional training, mentoring, or coaching.
3. If you’re meeting in an office, book a room that is away from your team and near an exit, in case they’d like to step outside the office after your conversation.  

Review these tips for what to do if your employee becomes distraught: 

• Stay calm and avoid letting the conversation escalate.
• Allow for emotions, but be careful not to argue. Don’t apologize for your decision. 
• Empathize with the employee, but avoid commiserating. 
• Consider taking time out of the conversation (i.e. 5-10 minutes) and reconvene.
• Inform the employee they can speak with HR if they wish to do so

During the conversation:

Begin by letting your employee know that based on prior performance conversations, today’s meeting is to formalize their performance improvement plan (PIP). Let them know that there is the possibility of termination as a consequence of a failed PIP and when they will be formally re-evaluated for performance. It’s important to get to the issue at hand so that your employee is not left wondering.

Give your employee time to ask questions. Then, review the specifics of the performance improvement plan and your next steps. What concrete things can your employee do right away, one week later, one month later? This should be written in the plan.

After the conversation:

After fully discussing the plan, you may make modifications based on employee feedback. Once HR has reviewed any changes, the final plan should be signed by both manager and employee and forwarded to HR for approval.

Encourage your employee to reach out if they have additional thoughts or questions. Set up regular check-ins with your employee to monitor plan progression (weekly or bi-weekly) where you share and document your feedback and progress toward goals. 

Encourage employees to lead these meetings, to self-report on how they believe they are doing and what realizations they might have made, or what else they feel they need to succeed. Successful progress made toward the goal should be recognized to motivate the employee to continue. 

Additionally, it’s important to check in on how your employee is feeling. There may need to be additional efforts made to gauge and manage your employee's morale.

After a few check-in meetings: 

If your employee is meeting some, but not all deliverables, consider extending the PIP. The additional time may allow them to finish the outstanding work and put you in a better position to fully evaluate the PIP.  

If your employee does not meet the expectations and requirements laid out in the PIP, update the document to reflect this. Discuss with HR to evaluate whether termination is now appropriate. If so, they can help you prepare for termination.  

When your employee has responded positively by meeting plan objectives, possibly before the expiration date of the plan, meet with HR to discuss formally closing the PIP and allowing the employee to continue employment. This is a big accomplishment for the employee, but be sure the employee understands that this level of good performance needs to continue beyond the PIP.