How Can a Performance Improvement Plan Help Retain Employees?
A widely held belief is that the underlying purpose of a Performance Improvement Plan or PIP is to begin the documentation process toward termination. While sometimes this is the case and it can be seen as a check the box exercise to provide all of the documentation in order to show you have done all you could with a poor performing employee, it should not always be used in this way.
Employers spend considerable time and money searching for a candidate and even more time and money training that employee to carry out the job responsibilities. When you take all of that into account, we should pause to understand that employers generally want to work with employees to try and retain them.
Employees rarely start a job thinking they are going to perform poorly. Most people want to do a good job, be rewarded for their performance, and receive help when needed. Many times, managers simply need to reset job expectations, communicate clearly, and offer support, which has a benefit of turning performance around for the better. When these steps fail through verbal warnings, written warnings, or corrective actions, it might be the time for a PI, this would be advised by a knowledgeable hr consulting service.
There are many formats for a PIP, but they should all include clear documentation of performance issues and a concise action plan for improvement which should list quantifiable and achievable goals. For example, if you have an employee who is always missing deadlines, you would document each time a deadline was missed, the consequence of that missed deadline, what the expectation is going forward, and what support you will offer to the employee. A PIP will include a lot of detail, so it is imperative that you are keeping records of your employee’s performance. Sometimes managers, will try to remember performance issues instead of referring back to previous documentation.
As a manager who has been dealing with performance issues, it is easy to insert emotions into a PIP without knowing it. This happens often and it is recommended that you have another person, preferably HR or another manger review the plan, ensuring it is complete, appropriate, and contains facts. Once the PIP is completed, it is important to schedule a meeting sooner rather than later to go over the plan. You never want to have too much time pass between the final incident that prompts the PIP and the meeting with the employee.
During the meeting with the employee, the manger must clearly review all details, listen to the employee’s feedback, and modify the plan if necessary. There could be extenuating circumstances that you don’t know about. For example, the reason for missed deadlines is due to another department or person not getting their portion of the project completed in order for them to complete their part. Once you have agreement of the plan, both the manager and the employee should sign the form. As a manager who has a vested interest in improving employee performance, it is imperative that you schedule regular follow-up meetings, provide feedback, and encourage input from the employee. If it becomes apparent that the employee is unable or unwilling to improve, options include reassignment, transfer, demotion, or termination.
How to respond if you are met with a PIP
Discussing performance is never easy and most people dread the process. If you, as an employee, are met with a PIP, you should conduct some self-reflection. Are these issues valid? Do you want to change your behavior to meet the performance expectations in the PIP or is it time to look for opportunities somewhere else? With that self-reflection, also ask yourself if this is the job you want to continue doing, or maybe you’ve outgrown your role and need to go in a different direction. These are both valid points and only you can make that decision.
If you choose to stay and work on performance issues within the PIP, you will need to be honest with yourself and your supervisor. Is the plan achievable and are you committed to working toward meeting the goals within the plan? It is important to review those goals with your manager, focusing on if those goals are specific, realistic and achievable. While receiving a PIP can be a blow to our ego, this is a time to be professional and honest. It is not, however, the time for accusations or confrontation. By the time you have received a PIP, you have likely been spoken to already about your performance and there has not been marked improvement. If you feel you have legitimate reasons to excuse yourself from the outlined expectations, now is your chance to discuss those limitations professionally. For example, did you receive the appropriate training or information for your role, were you aware of the expectations, or is much of this due to poor communications. Managers are not infallible and they don’t often have the complete picture. In the end, state your case professionally and follow up in writing.
Getting Results
Again, it is worth mentioning that businesses spend a great deal on recruitment and training. Qualified and high-performing employees are the most significant asset an organization has. While a PIP is used as the final step before termination, it is in everyone’s interest performance to actual improve with a PIP.
If you are a business that needs advice on a specific human resource situation, help with devising a progressive discipline process, or just need a second set of eyes on important performance documents, BlueFire HR Consulting can help. We offer strategic and operational human resource solutions for many organizations across a wide variety of industries including manager training, professional coaching, and compliance.
In addition, BlueFire HR Consulting proudly offers Career Coaching for individuals questioning their employment situation or needing help with career changes. We can assist you with assessing your strengths, reviewing your resume, updating your professional social media, and providing tips to begin a career search and interview preparation.
To help address these topics, and anything related to HR Operations or Organizational Development, feel free to reach out to FutureSense. We are adept at helping organizations tailor programs to enable growth and success and offer support and guidance to manage your workforce.
If you are interested in learning more about how we can help, need assistance with your workforce strategy, strategic planning, or HR operations; or you need an executive coach to talk to, contact us today!