The complete guide to performance improvement plans

What a PIP actually is

A Performance Improvement Plan — usually called a PIP — is a formal document your employer uses to name specific performance concerns and to set out what you need to do about them, by when. Good PIPs are specific and measurable. Bad PIPs read like a personality complaint dressed up in a template.

A PIP is typically written by your manager, often with HR's involvement, and is delivered in a private meeting. You are usually asked to acknowledge receipt in writing — which means only that you got the document, not that you agree with it.

What triggers a PIP

Common triggers include missed deliverables, quality issues, missed deadlines, feedback that has come up in reviews and not been addressed, and — sometimes — a mismatch between the role's expectations and the work being done. In practice, PIPs are also sometimes used as documentation preceding a role elimination or reorganization, where the outcome is largely predetermined.

What a PIP typically contains

A well-formed PIP names specific concerns, states measurable success criteria, sets a duration (30, 60, or 90 days is most common), schedules check-ins during the period, and states the potential consequences if the plan is not met — usually up to and including termination.

A poorly-formed PIP uses vague language ("improve communication," "show more ownership") without measurable criteria. If you receive one of those, your response should politely ask for the specific, measurable version.

What to do in the first 48 hours

Read the plan carefully. Save a copy. Don't sign anything beyond a receipt acknowledgment on the spot. Write a professional response in the next day or two that acknowledges receipt, requests measurable criteria, requests regular check-ins, and — if needed — corrects any factual errors on the record. The PIP response letter builder assembles exactly that letter.

During the plan period

Document everything. Track your work weekly in a way that maps to the plan's criteria. Attend every check-in and follow up with an email summarizing what was discussed and any commitments made. If the plan is missing measurable criteria and you don't get them, note that too — in writing.

Running the numbers, quietly, in parallel

Whether or not you plan to meet the PIP, run your severance and runway numbers. The severance calculator takes a couple of minutes. Knowing the number changes how the whole month feels — and how you'll respond if a separation package is offered.

At the end

Three outcomes are common: you meet the plan and continue, the plan is extended, or a separation is offered. For that third case, keep your response measured, take the 21 days you're often entitled to for reviewing a release, and consider negotiating — see how to negotiate severance.