Delivering and Implementing the PIP

Once you’ve written up the PIP document, share it with HR and your manager to ensure that it meets the requirements. Assuming that it does, you need to schedule a meeting to go through it in person with the employee.

Next, you should:

• Set up a meeting to discuss the fact that they are being put on a PIP and what this means. It may be the case that they haven’t been on one before and aren’t aware of the process, so provide an explanation and links to further documentation if you have it.

• Share the PIP document so they can read it beforehand and come to the meeting ready to discuss it.

In the meeting, you should calmly read through the document with them. Listen to their opinions and concerns, and if there are any parts of it that could be described better or tweaked slightly based on your conversation, you should do so. After all, it’s in both of your best interests for them to succeed.

Assuming that they agree with the PIP, they should sign it together. Then, you have formally entered into the duration specified. Next, you should enter into a weekly cadence of discussing progress. Your one-on-one meetings are a natural place for this to happen. Always refer back to the document with them to discuss the exact goals.

Breaching the PIP

The period can go one of two ways. The ideal way is they meet all the expectations, nothing bad happens, and they pass the PIP with flying colors. However, it’s possible they don’t manage to meet the objectives, and you are continually noting times they haven’t been able to reach them, such as continued lateness, unresponsiveness, and absences with no notice given.