Performance Improvement Plans - Don't Go There

Summary

Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) - often used as a last-ditch effort to address employee performance issues - frequently fail to produce the desired results and can be more detrimental than beneficial. Being proactive and providing actionable support is a better approach for all involved.

Why It Matters

Have you ever spoken with your HRBP about a struggling employee and after a few months of addressing performance gaps you hear, "We should get them a PIP."?

Shudder

PIPs are the worst.

They do not help struggling employees.

Despite the positive intention behind PIPs - at least when leaders first started using them - they often fail because they feel punitive, don't help leaders provide genuine support, and are often misaligned with the root causes of performance issues.

Instead of fostering growth and improvement, they result in stress and fear, which further hinders performance.

It's often too late if you try to focus on improvement through a PIP.

Let's be real, PIPs often serve as a nudge or full on push to leave. We know it. Our employees know it. So let's stop pretending it's something that it's not.

It's primarily a way for companies to protect themselves from wrongful termination claims.

We need a better approach.

So what can you do?

Focus on having difficult conversations earlier on and providing support in a meaningful ways.

How to Apply It

Address the Root Causes:

Instead of resorting to a PIP, take time to understand the underlying issues affecting performance. This involves open, honest conversations with the employee to uncover any personal, professional, or systemic obstacles.

Don't shy away from this conversation. It'll be tough but worth it and could potentially change the career path of this individual for the better.

Read: "First, Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman – Focus on individual strengths and how they can be harnessed to improve performance.

One of the most important roles of a manager is to find out what is blocking an employee’s success and remove those obstacles.

Align Role to Strengths and Passions:

Identify what the employee is good at and passionate about, and find ways to incorporate these elements into their role. When people work in areas where they excel, they are more engaged and productive. This is a great approach if you step into a new leadership role and feel there's a mismatch between the role and strengths of one or more people on your team.

Read: "First, Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman – Align roles to strengths for better performance.

Discover what is unique about each person and capitalize on it.

Provide Genuine Support:

Offer real, actionable support rather than a formalized PIP. This might include additional training, mentoring, or adjusting workloads to better align with the employee’s capabilities.

The training and mentorship also doesn't have to come from you. Find out what other resources internally and externally you can tap into for additional support.

Read: "The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle – Create an environment where employees feel safe and supported in their efforts to improve.

Building a culture of trust and safety means offering support and nurturing relationships within the team.

Set Clear and Achievable Goals:

Work with the employee to set realistic and attainable goals. These goals should be specific, measurable, and aligned with the employee's strengths and career aspirations.

Starting with short-term goals when someone is struggling is really helpful. Celebrate small wins and progress to build confidence, motivation and momentum.

Read: "First, Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman – Establish clear expectations.

The best managers define the right outcomes and then let each person find their own route toward those outcomes.

Foster a Growth Mindset:

Encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement rather than focusing on punitive measures. Being vulnerable and sharing how you've made mistakes and what you've done to continue to learn and grow can create a whole new dynamic with your team.

Understanding career ambitions and investing in professional development opportunities is a great way to create a culture of continuous learning. You'll have more engaged employees and performance will improve.

Read: "The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle – Promote a mindset where challenges are seen as opportunities for growth.

One of the best measures of any group’s culture is its learning velocity – how quickly it improves its performance of a new skill.

Engage in Weekly 1:1s:

Schedule regular one-on-one meetings to continue to build on what they're learning, address concerns, and adjust support as needed. This approach fosters open communication and builds trust.

Remember, 1:1s should be based on their agenda, not yours. 1:1s should not be status updates.

Rather than focusing on providing feedback, use this time to coach them and help them think critically and find solutions independently, whenever possible.

Read: "The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle – Maintain ongoing dialogue to reinforce support and commitment.

To create safety, leaders need to actively invite input.

Bottom Line

Rather than resorting to PIPs, use a proactive approach to have difficult conversations earlier on, align responsibilities with strengths, build learning capacity, and provide ongoing support in a way that empowers your employees.

Final Thought

If you take the steps above and your employee is still not able to meet the requirements of their role, you've still made progress.

You've built trust and opened up the lines of communication to address this directly with respect and empathy.

Don't let it drag on. Have the tough conversation when it's needed.

Be helpful when you can. Maybe you can support them to find another role at the company that's a better fit, or tap into your network to find a more suitable role.

It's a tough situation for all involved, but you can make it a little easier by being mindful about your approach.