You’ve been told that you’re underperforming. Suddenly, there’s a problem with everything you do: there’s an error in a letter you’ve composed; the phone rings when you’re not at your desk; deadlines are pushed back; your strengths are now proclaimed your weaknesses by your boss in front of people, and you are taken off projects and moved to fill the mediocre voids left by other departments just to get you away.
Finally, things are so bad that you, your boss and her boss are in her office, where they announce that you are being put on a Performance Improvement Plan, or PIP (also known as a Performance Action Plan). A PIP is a document declaring recurring performance issues an employee is said to have in conducting his/her tasks, along with goals needing to be met in order to regain good standing at the company. This is essentially a probationary period, and usually has an expected timeline for goals to be met.
Being told that you’re terrible and your job is in danger, whether it’s true or not, is a devastating moment, and the thought of having to be put on a plan towards saving your job can feel demeaning. But the PIP sounds like an effort on your employer’s part to help you get back on track. It seems like an effort showing that they care and respect you as a member of the team; that they want you to succeed and contribute to the company’s mission. Right?
Sadly, no. At least, not for everybody.
It would certainly sound like it would be in the company’s best interest to do what they can to help a struggling employee. That’s part of the PIP’s allure: an attempt to show the worker that he/she is valued as a member of the team, and that the employer is willing to take the time to work towards addressing and, ultimately, eliminating whatever it is that’s causing the struggle. To be fair, there are bosses out there who actually do take that approach PIP. Take a look at this testimony from the founder and CEO of Bloomingbound, Gary Travis.
Sadly, though, Mr. Travis is one of the few who take the right approach to the PIP. What it really boils down to is if your manager is like Mr. Travis and willing to work with you face to face towards improving your performance.
For most managers today, though, the PIP is nothing more than the last message showing the company simply does not want you there anymore. It is the true beginning of a legal paper trail, and just the company buying time before giving you the boot or, they hope, the right form of torture to cause you to resign so that they don’t have to pay severance.
I was ignorant of PIPs until one was presented before me in February of 2020. Here are some things I wish I knew then about Performance Improvement Plans:
1. PIPs attempt to address symptoms, not root problems
The company that dropped the PIP on me was a graduate-level institute for psychological studies, which is a bit ironic to think about now considering what they teach. Rather than learning to identify symptoms and prescribing medication to suppress them, these students are put through rigorous study and training to help those suffering from mental health problems break down the psychological layers of their pain to identify and treat the root causes, rather than just prescribing medicine for symptoms. It could be unresolved grief from a past tragedy contributing to current depression symptoms or remorse for something that’s triggering suicidal tendencies.
However, PIPs are those counselors who only prescribe pills for some of the symptoms. Sure, they may be useful for some people in addressing MINOR performance issues. But they are often utilized incorrectly, and fail to address the root causes to poor performance.
“It’s about engaging them to help you fix your problem without just telling them to clean up their act and do better,” said Mark Shaw, CEO of NEOS HR.
Shaw has been working with companies to help them streamline and improve their HR practices for over two decades and, though he takes little issue with PIPs, he believes that they’ve become something of default response to address performance issues when, more often than not, the employee’s issue isn’t about performance at all.
Shaw suggested managers should do the following instead:
- Find the root cause of the issue and establish the facts
- After this, determine if it’s really an issue. Sometimes the issue is caused by a conflict of personalities or the manager might be problematic, so it’s worth doing some digging and gathering any evidence you’ll need to present to the employee.
- Articulate the problem and present the evidence. It’s not about being adversarial. Give them the chance to respond.
- Ask the employee(s) to help you to solve the problem.
2. PIPs are a short term solution to improving performance
As mentioned before, a PIP can be a good thing if utilized correctly, especially if a drop in performance is in part due to things outside of the office like financial struggles, an ill family member, depression, etc. A PIP can help stimulate focus to get back on track.
In most other cases, though, the improvements from a PIP are temporary. The potential threat of losing a job can be a great motivator for a 60-90 day PIP/probation period, but those long-term patterns that led to the PIP in the first place will likely resurface if the root causes are not identified or addressed.
3. PIPs: the beginning of the end
When I was presented with a PIP, it followed months of clues that my new boss wanted me gone (see introduction). PIPs are typically the last stage, a declaration stating “do this, or you’re fired”.
Bridgette Hyacinth, keynote speaker and author of Leading the Workforce of the Future, believes that PIPs are so fail-ridden that she has it as one of her top ten signs that you’re about to be fired.
“I personally think that PIPs are ineffective,” she said. “Any good manager would never wait until performance reaches such a level. They would deal with it instantly as it happens. Also, most people will never be able to meet all the requirements of the performance improvement plan. The success rate is very low, and will only work if the goals are reasonable.”
4. PIPs are not a form of legal protection
Employees who feel they’re wrongly on a PIP may feel that it’s all just the company protecting itself from lawsuits. According to Acceleration Partners CEO Robert Glazer, most companies would agree, since many of them use PIPs under the belief that documenting the employee’s failures will protect them from a lawsuit. Employees aren’t really expected to succeed, and the final result from the whole process is only additional distrust and anger.
But, in an article in Forbes, Glazer states that a PIP isn’t really going to do much to protect a company since most lawsuits emanate from feelings of distrust and disrespect.
“I recently spoke with a company leader who used to use PIPs to protect her from lawsuits but still found herself being sued,” Glazer wrote. “She then shifted to a policy of having open and honest conversations with employees. She said treating people with respect from the outset has proved to be a much more successful strategy for preventing lawsuits than PIPs.”
Treating people with empathy and respect can be successful in the workplace AND prevent lawsuits? Who knew?
Conclusion: Got a PIP, don’t yet quit
Being put on a PIP was one of the worst moments in my career, and if you’re in a PIP right now or feel like you’re en route to one, then you should absolutely update your resume, connect with your network and look for opportunities elsewhere, whether it’s a transfer to a different department within the company or with a new company altogether.
However: don’t quit your job cold turkey!
Unless you have the insurance and financial freedom–and maybe the freelance options–quitting during the PIP is not your best option. Take a few deep breaths and prepare your mind (and family) for the storm ahead. If you have a family at home, remember that you’re doing it for them. That is your fan base.
Study the details of the PIP closely. I was told that I had the option as I was signing the document to put it in writing on the actual document that I disagreed with everything the document claimed and, to a degree, I wished I did. But from an HR perspective, I’ve no idea how that would have looked. Again, analyze the goals, and look to hit every last one of them. Sports teams that don’t make the playoffs always want to close out the season strong with a victory. Let this curtain call be your strongest yet. Slaughter it!
In the end, if you’re ultimately let go, leave calmly, respectfully and with dignity. Don’t lash out, don’t call names however deserving, don’t threaten lawsuits. Keep calm, read whatever you need to sign closely, calmly collect your things and leave. Take some time to yourself to collect your thoughts and breathe in the fresh air to a brand new start. There will be time to consider your next move if there is one legally.
Connect with your friends, old colleagues and the rest of your family. Until you find the next big move in your career, you will struggle to forgive and come to terms with what you were put through, so fill and surround yourself with the positive people in your life as much as you can.
Check in with the colleagues you wish to remain connected with at the company that just released you. Even if you sever all connection with the supervisor who pushed you out, having those references who can testify to your work, ethic and character is critical for any new opportunities.
Most importantly, take care of yourself. Get outside if it’s nice, go hiking, read some books, catch up on shows, visit a brewery or two (but don’t try to drown your grief in craft beer, or any alcohol). Do not let the misery of losing your job or having it stolen from you possess you. No matter how long or how short your search for a new position may be, it is still just a small hiccup, and hiccups can be defeated.
https://www.hrmonline.com.au/employee-engagement/problem-performance-improvement-plans/
https://www.addainfusion.com/why-performance-improvement-plans-dont-work/
Eric Kambach 