---
alias: PIP
alias: Performance Improvement Plan
author: Jason Thistlethwaite
tags: correctiveAction
---
A Personal Improvement Plan is a structured approach to improving or correcting behaviors that make a person unpromotable. A PIP might be used when an employee's performance or behavior would probably lead to termination if it gets worse, and at least prevent advancement if it stays the same.

## Example use case
An employee demonstrates above-average attendance, shows a lot of intitiative, and is generally known for producing high-quality results. However, they have an annoying tendency to cause a [[work stop]] when they have a question instead of using more efficient, [[asynchronous communication]] methods. Instead, whenever they come across anything they don't understand they flag down other people to ask questions, even if that means [[Foundations and Governance/General Policies/Attendance#Missing from post|leaving their post]] to do so.

The employee is probably not going to be in trouble if the habit continues the same way, but a person who is able to communicate more effectively would probably be promoted instead of them.

## Recommended way to handle a PIP
The first thing to do is explain to the employee what behavior or tendency is problematic, and carefully frame it in terms of how it will effect their long term advancement with the company.

Next, determine a way to measure how often the problem happens within their area, not just involving that person. Then, put them in charge of tracking that metric. The employee should track the problem for more people than just themselves, ideally the whole team. It becomes part of their job to improve the metric and identify ways to do so.

Let's say for example, a person's attendance isn't very good but they're otherwise a great employee. That's a case where a PIP could make sense. So, they are put in charge of tracking attendance for their team, including themselves. If they identify ways to improve that metric (even if it just means their own attendance), the PIP can be considered successful. If they actually manage to improve it for the whole team by setting and example and getting buy-in from other people, then they've proven they are promotable (which is the point).