Thoughts on Performance Improvement Plans?

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Performance Improvement Plans

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AKA, justification for termination. It's a red flag telling you to update your resume and find a new spot before HR has to come down.

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I know every company uses this differently

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There's some company culture that pushes it but i find it to be more manager specific.

Personal experience, I got one from my boss because he thought i was slacking off when in reality i was heads down with the finance team pushing towards our IPO that required thee deals to close simultaneously. Him and HR realized they fricked up pretty quick when i bailed on the finance work since only a specific part of it was technically my job. After a couple thrown chairs by the CFO they got their shite together, pulled the PIP and i ended up with a nice IPO bonus. Then i left on the 1 year vest date and now they're one of my larger clients.

His exact words when i gave my notice were, "I did that because i thought your head was in your arse, but afterward realized it was mine."

I’ve been in one a few times. All but once were a misunderstanding. I don’t think they helped me much.

Every single employee we put on one gets terminated after 30 days on said ‘plan’. Its the kiss of death and basically a courtesy to start looking for and find another job before you get fired.

I didn't know that PIPs were used on the personal level. I've used them for decreasing ER TATs for labwork before, where a team from ER and one from the lab got together and drastically decreased ER turn-around-times. And several other hospital projects. Usually work very well.

I fricked up and almost volunteered myself for one at my last job. I realize now that it was an incredibly toxic work environment and not a reflection of my abilities. Fortunately found a good job just before I was put on one.

If there is a very well crafted PIP program, then IMHO it should help the organization.

The org must have the proper methods to do business and it must have a training program for employees to be able to master those methods. The PIP should be a training/development program whose objective it is to maximize the employees potential. If the employee is a hot young female, then, none of the preceding matters at all.

Update your resume, should be the first step.

When i issue PIPs its usually someone i actually want to salvage and want them to do a better job. It does give me the necessary paper trail with HR if that doesnt work out though.

if its someone i didnt care about salvaging they would just have written warnings signed and documented with consultation and i would move for termination after certain number.