Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) - Red Flag | Make It Work

On today's walk I discuss Performance Improvement Plans or PIPs as we in HR would call them. Most people have at least heard of a Performance Improvement Plan but what do they really mean for employees and what should you do if you find yourself on a Performance Improvement Plan? This video is will hopefully help you navigate the process of surviving a performance improvement plan and what you future might look like.
On Make It Work we walk and talk through some of the most common career related questions that I see. With over a decade of experience in Human Resources, I give my opinion and experiences on the big questions that people have.

[@joannevans9629]

I was working at a large company and they did a layoff where they had to notify the company due to the number of employees. They told everyone they would not lay anymore employees off. Instead what they did was to give PIPs. I got one and my work load was tripled. I met all required work for each meeting but it was never recognized. In that it was not possible for me to do what they were ultimately asking for I put together a document showing what needed to be done and why it was not possible. I gave it to HR and it was ignored. However, the unemployment department did see it. They told me that if I had not created that document I would not have received unemployment benefits. From it they could understand my job. If you get a PIP just leave because that is what they actually want. They put me on that PIP to actually just reduce staff. When the security guard walked me out he told me that he could understand firing someone but he had walked one person out from each department that day. I'm grateful he told me that because I fully understood the release was not related to my performance. The year before I got a good review and there was no warning. I met a Dentist who said he went to a conference where they were teaching to use PIPs to reduce staff.

[@dramafan08]

Helpful comment.

[@MiriamTheGreat]

I was recently put on a PIP... telling me to stop having a physical disability and stop using ADA accommodations. These have no impact on my performance; which has been stellar for 2+ years... till 3 weeks ago our department got moved under a new boss! What do I say while interviewing? "I realize crippled people are disgusting and civil rights bum you out, but science and medicine can only do so much; and if I stopped having a six-figure job i wouldn't be able to afford my medical care & would stop being valuable to my family and friends, so i'm continuing to work?"

[@blunomad]

Thank you. Pretty consistent with my thoughts but we’ll presented. Appreciate your insights and delivery.

[@BruklynGam3r]

Thank you for this!!

[@Pinkkermit17]

I just went under a PIP, been with the company for 20 years, I transferred in a position a little over a year ago under a leader who I felt from the beginning was someone who didn’t want me there. Honesty I been wanting to ask to step down to get a way from that area a while back but never did. I mentioned it during the PIP and they say they will get back to me, but never have. I send emails every single day of what I do, what I am working on etc.. and got no response from any of them. My boss told me “everyone feels that you are just taking up space’. After all this time for being at this company I feel betrayed and beyond hurt. They dont owe me anything , I get that, but I would think I would deserve a bit more then to be treated that way.

[@MakeItWorkClint]

It’s an unfortunate process most of the time. It’s often just a check box in longer process to move on from employees. Good leaders would almost never need to use a PIP. Sorry to hear you’re caught up in this and sounds like they aren’t being very helpful.

[@shortcrypto7490]

I am in similar situation, 5 years in a company. I didnt sign the pip , but they looking for every possible way to get rid of me cause I had a argument with the boss haha :D

[@TheScooby7890]

I resigned immediately after getting a pip from my ex company a little over 2 months ago out of nowhere. Granted, I was there for about 1.5 years, so not that long. However, I knew the manager they hired was never going to value me on the team no matter what I did. He would give me very positive feedback on our 1-1 every week, but put me down in group meetings. At first, I just thought maybe he was just busy or perhaps he has forgotten the demos or documents I shared. I tagged him in all confluence, jira, GitHub, etc, and he never bothered to respond with any review. Granted about 3 days before getting into the pip session, I was given a very confusing quarterly review. I was told that my work was satisfactory, but it wasn’t exceptional. He went on to say that things were delivered on time but I never bothered with adding in more details to the designs, which is quite strange because as an engineer; we work based on technical specs. I think it probably varies from case to case. In mine, I just knew it was time to walk away. There was no way no how that I was going to spend another 2 months killing myself with unrealistic demands to get fired. I just decided to cut my loss.

[@joannevans9629]

Yeah, you deserve a greater level of respect after 20 years there.

[@greuser]

How do you explain to the next company that you were terminated because of performance? Is there a way to hide it?

[@MakeItWorkClint]

Focus on why you didn’t feel it was a good fit and shy away from the termination and reasoning unless they explicitly ask. Even with an unjust termination, it may sound like excuses to the new company. However if you lie and they find out from your past employer it’s a death nail. Most companies will confirm employment but won’t dig into reasons for separation.

[@TacticalStrudel]

Negotiate severance or quit on the spot. Don’t accept a pip.