Purpose

A PIP exists to give someone a structured, supported, and fair opportunity to meet the expectations of their role. It is a formal process that makes explicit what "good" looks like, provides the support to get there, and documents progress honestly.

It is appropriate when:

• Performance has been consistently below expectations over a sustained period
• Previous informal conversations, feedback, and support have not produced sufficient improvement
• Both parties need clarity on what is expected and what is at stake

What it is not for:

• Managing someone out while maintaining the appearance of fairness
• Covering the organisation's legal position after a decision has already been made
• Punishing someone for a single incident or a difficult period with an external cause
• Addressing a culture or attitude issue that has not been directly named and discussed

If you are putting someone on a PIP knowing they will fail it, you are not running a PIP. You are running a managed exit with extra paperwork. This is harmful to the person, dishonest, and often legally problematic. If the decision to exit has been made, that is a different conversation and a different process.

What should have happened before a PIP:

A PIP should never be the first conversation about performance. Before a PIP, there should have been:

1. Direct, specific verbal feedback about the performance concern - more than once
2. Clear agreement on what the expected standard looks like
3. Documented check-ins on progress
4. Genuine manager support - coaching, resources, adjustments to remove blockers
5. An honest conversation about the gap and its implications

If those conversations have not happened, a PIP is premature. Have those conversations first.

When to Use This Playbook

Triggers for a PIP:

• Performance has been below expectations for a sustained period (typically more than one review cycle or three or more months)
• Informal feedback and support have been genuinely applied and have not produced sufficient change
• The gap between expected and actual performance is material - not minor, not explained by context
• HR has been engaged and agrees a formal process is appropriate

Do not initiate a PIP for:

• A single incident (handle with direct feedback and a clear expectation)
• A difficult period caused by factors outside the person's control (illness, bereavement, team instability)
• A situation where the expectations themselves were unclear or unfair
• Attitude or culture issues that have never been explicitly named and discussed

Who initiates:

The manager, with HR engagement. Do not initiate a PIP without briefing your HR business partner first. They will advise on process, documentation, and legal considerations specific to your organisation and jurisdiction.

Before You Start

• Brief your HR business partner - they need to know before this conversation happens
• Document the history - the specific performance concerns, when they were raised, what was discussed, what support was offered, and what changed (if anything)
• Be clear on the specific expectations the person is not meeting - these need to be objective, observable, and role-relevant
• Identify what support you will provide during the PIP period - coaching, check-ins, training, workload adjustment
• Understand your organisation's PIP process - duration, documentation requirements, review cadence, possible outcomes
• Be honest with yourself - is this a genuine attempt to support improvement, or has the decision already been made?
• Prepare yourself emotionally - this will be hard for the person. Be ready to hold the discomfort without backing away from the message or without being harsh

Legal and HR context:

Employment law varies significantly by jurisdiction. In the UK, a PIP sits within the context of managing capability, and dismissal following a failed PIP must follow a fair procedure (investigation, hearing, right to be accompanied, right of appeal). Get your HR team involved before you start. Do not rely on this playbook alone for legal guidance.

How to Write PIP Objectives

Weak PIP objectives cause the process to collapse - either the person genuinely does not know what is expected, or the manager cannot fairly assess progress, or both.

A strong PIP objective has four components:

1. The behaviour or outcome - what specifically needs to change or be delivered
2. The standard - what does "meeting expectations" look like?
3. The measure - how will progress be assessed? Who assesses it?
4. The timeframe - by when does this need to be demonstrated?

Examples of weak vs strong objectives:

The test: Could two independent observers look at the same evidence and agree on whether the objective has been met? If yes, the objective is specific enough.

Keep the number of objectives to three to five. A PIP with ten objectives is either trying to address too many things at once, or is designed to fail. Focus on the two or three things that matter most to the role.

The Process

Step 1 - Brief HR and confirm the process

Before you say anything to the person, speak to HR. Confirm:

• That a PIP is the appropriate process at this stage
• The standard duration for your organisation (typically 4-12 weeks)
• Documentation requirements - what needs to be written, signed, and retained
• The person's rights - including the right to be accompanied in formal meetings in many jurisdictions
• What the possible outcomes are and what process each triggers

Step 2 - Prepare the PIP document

Write the PIP document before the opening conversation. It should include:

• Background - a brief summary of the performance concern and the history of conversations about it
• The expectations that are not currently being met - specific and evidenced
• The objectives for the PIP period - written to the standard above
• The support the manager will provide
• The check-in cadence
• The duration and possible outcomes

Have this document reviewed by HR before the conversation. Do not show it to the person before the opening conversation - it is a live document that may need adjustment based on the conversation.

Step 3 - The opening conversation

This is the hardest conversation in this playbook. Run it well.

Setting:

• In person where possible - do not do this over video if you can help it, and never in writing as the opening contact
• Private - book a room, not a hot desk or an open space
• Long enough - allow at least an hour; do not schedule it before back-to-back commitments
• With HR present if your organisation's process requires it, or if you want a witness

Opening the conversation:

Be direct from the start. Do not spend fifteen minutes on preamble. The person can feel something serious is coming - drawing it out increases the anxiety without reducing the impact.

"I need to have a serious conversation with you today. I've been concerned about [area of performance] for some time, and we've talked about this before. Despite those conversations and the support I've tried to provide, I haven't seen the sustained improvement I need to see. I want to be honest with you: we've reached a point where I need to formalise this, and I'm initiating a Performance Improvement Plan."

Then:

• Pause. Give them time to absorb that.
• Acknowledge that this is difficult. "I know this is hard to hear."
• Be clear about your intent. "I want to be really direct with you about what this means and what it doesn't mean. This is a genuine attempt to give you a clear, supported opportunity to meet the expectations of your role. It is not a decision that has already been made. If you meet the objectives in this plan, that is a real outcome that I am genuinely hoping for."

Walk through the plan:

Take them through the PIP document - the concerns, the objectives, the support, the cadence, the duration, the outcomes. Ask them at each stage if they have questions. Do not rush.

Hear their response:

Give them genuine space to respond. They may:

• Deny the performance issue - respond by walking through the specific evidence calmly
• Express anger - hold the space, do not escalate, let them say what they need to say
• Break down - acknowledge it, give them time, do not back away from the message
• Say they are going to resign - acknowledge that is their choice and do not try to talk them out of it in this conversation
• Ask questions about what happens next - answer them fully and honestly

Do not do the following in this conversation:

• Apologise for initiating the process
• Promise that everything will be fine
• Suggest that the standard might be flexible
• Get defensive about the history of conversations
• Allow the emotional weight of the moment to lead you to soften the message to meaninglessness

Close the opening conversation:

"I want to give you time to take this in. You don't need to sign anything today - that can happen in a follow-up. I'd also encourage you to talk to [HR/employee representative/union if applicable] if you want to. Let's meet again [specific day] to go through any questions and begin the process formally."

Give them a copy of the PIP document to take away.

Step 4 - Weekly check-ins

During the PIP period, meet weekly. These are not 1:1s - they are formal progress reviews and should be treated as such.

Each check-in covers:

• Progress against each objective - specific, evidence-based
• What support has been provided - did you do what you said you would do?
• What barriers the person has encountered - are there legitimate blockers that you need to address?
• What the focus is for the next week

Document every check-in. The documentation should:

• Record what was discussed
• State progress against each objective as of that date
• Note any agreed actions or commitments from either party
• Be shared with the person at or after each meeting

What you should genuinely do to support the person:

A PIP is not just a document. You committed to support. Honour it.

• Provide coaching on the specific areas the objectives cover
• Give more frequent, more specific feedback than you would normally
• Remove blockers that are within your control
• Make relevant training or resources accessible
• Provide opportunities to demonstrate improvement - do not set objectives and then deny them the work that would let them meet them

Step 5 - Assess progress fairly

At the end of the PIP period, assess progress against each objective with evidence.

"Fair" means:

• Assessing against the objectives as written, not moving the goalposts
• Using the same standard you would use for any other team member
• Looking at the whole period, not just the last week
• Acknowledging genuine progress even where the standard has not been fully met
• Not factoring in how much you like or dislike the person

Have your evidence ready before the end-of-PIP conversation. Brief HR before this conversation.

Step 6 - The end-of-PIP conversation

Possible outcomes:

1. Objectives met - exit the PIP:

"I want to be clear about what I've seen over the last [period]. You've met the objectives we set. [Specific examples.] You're exiting the PIP. I want to continue building on this progress - let's talk about what that looks like going forward."

Acknowledge the difficulty of the period. Be genuine. Then move forward.

2. Partial progress - extension:

An extension is appropriate when there is genuine progress but the standard has not been consistently reached. It is not appropriate as a way of postponing a difficult decision.

"You've made progress in [areas]. You haven't yet consistently met the standard in [areas]. I want to give you a further [period] to consolidate that progress, with a specific focus on [remaining objectives]. I want to be honest with you: an extension is not the same as meeting the objectives. The expectations remain the same."

Extensions should be used once, not repeatedly.

3. Objectives not met - formal action:

"This is a difficult conversation. I've reviewed your progress over the PIP period against the objectives we agreed. [Walk through each objective and the specific evidence.] My assessment is that the objectives have not been met. I'm referring this to the next stage of the formal capability process."

Then follow your organisation's process - typically a formal hearing, with HR involvement, the person's right to be accompanied, and the right of appeal.

Do not deliver this message and immediately move to next steps in the same breath. Say it, pause, acknowledge it, then explain what happens next.

What to Tell the Rest of the Team

You cannot tell the team that someone is on a PIP. That is confidential.

You can:

• Explain that you are working closely with the person on their performance
• Manage expectations if the team is carrying additional work while the person is being supported
• Be clear with the team on expectations for their own work without referencing the PIP

If the PIP eventually results in the person leaving, you will need to handle that separately. Do not pre-announce. Do not speculate. Be honest about the fact that someone has left without going into the detail of why.

What Good Looks Like

• The person knew what was expected of them, in specific and observable terms
• The manager provided the support they committed to
• Progress was assessed fairly and consistently against the objectives
• The person had genuine opportunities to demonstrate improvement
• Whatever the outcome, both parties can say the process was conducted honestly and with care
• There are no surprises at the end-of-PIP conversation

Common Failures

Failure 1 - The PIP as a managed exit

What it is: The decision to exit the person has already been made. The PIP is run as procedural cover.

Why it happens: It feels less confrontational than a direct conversation about separation. The organisation wants to manage legal risk. The manager wants to feel they gave the person "a chance."

Why it is harmful: It is dishonest. The person invests time and emotional energy in a process that was never going to succeed. It corrodes trust in the organisation when other people observe it. It often backfires legally because the process looks performative in hindsight.

What to do instead: If the decision has been made, have that conversation. Get HR involved. Run the appropriate process for your jurisdiction - redundancy, mutual agreement, or formal dismissal with fair procedure. Do not use a PIP as a proxy.

Failure 2 - Vague objectives

What it is: The PIP objectives are written at a level of abstraction that makes fair assessment impossible.

Why it happens: It is harder to write specific objectives. Vague objectives also feel less confrontational in the moment.

What it costs: The person does not know what they are aiming for. The manager cannot fairly assess whether it has been achieved. The process is vulnerable to challenge.

What to do instead: Apply the four-component test to every objective before the PIP is opened. Have HR review the objectives. If you cannot answer "how will we know this has been met?" with a specific answer, the objective is not ready.

Failure 3 - Manager support that does not materialise

What it is: The PIP document says the manager will provide coaching, opportunities for development, and additional feedback. None of it happens.

Why it happens: Competing priorities. Discomfort with the situation. Unconsciously giving up on the person.

What it costs: The person cannot fairly be held accountable for failing to meet objectives when the support committed to was not provided. The process is undermined.

What to do instead: Treat your support commitments as seriously as the person's performance commitments. Document what you have done at each check-in. If you miss something, acknowledge it and repair it before the next check-in.

Failure 4 - Moving the goalposts

What it is: The objectives are changed mid-PIP, either made easier because the manager feels guilty or made harder because progress is being made.

Why it happens: Guilt, discomfort, or an unconscious desire to reach a particular outcome.

What it costs: The process loses integrity. If the objectives change, the assessment period effectively restarts.

What to do instead: Write clear objectives before the PIP opens. Change them only if external circumstances have made them impossible through no fault of the person - and document the change and the rationale clearly.

Failure 5 - No documentation

What it is: The PIP conversations happen but nothing is written down, or what is written is vague and impressionistic.

Why it happens: Documentation feels bureaucratic. The manager is uncomfortable with the formality.

What it costs: Without documentation, the process is unfair and legally undefendable. If the person challenges the outcome, there is no record of what was agreed, what progress was made, or what support was provided.

What to do instead: Document every check-in. Keep it factual. Share it with the person. File it with HR.

Checklist

Before opening the PIP:

• HR briefed and process agreed
• Documentation of history completed - feedback given, dates, outcomes
• PIP objectives written and reviewed by HR
• Objectives are specific, observable, and measurable
• Support commitments identified and realistic
• Duration and review cadence agreed with HR
• Room booked, enough time allocated
• Emotionally prepared to hold the conversation with care and directness

The opening conversation:

• Direct from the start - did not bury the message in preamble
• Acknowledged the difficulty without softening the substance
• Walked through the specific performance concerns with evidence
• Walked through each objective clearly
• Stated the support I will provide
• Stated the possible outcomes honestly
• Gave time for them to respond
• Gave them a copy of the PIP document
• Agreed next steps and next meeting

During the PIP period:

• Weekly check-ins happening and documented
• Progress assessed against objectives, not impressionistically
• My support commitments followed through
• Documentation shared with the person at or after each check-in
• HR updated if anything significant changes

End of PIP:

• HR briefed before the end-of-PIP conversation
• Evidence reviewed against each objective specifically
• Outcome determined - met / extension / formal action
• End-of-PIP conversation conducted directly and with care
• Outcome and next steps documented and shared