Been put on a performance improvement plan and worried it's really about getting you out the door?
Let's help you tell the difference, and know how to respond either way.
A PIP can be genuine coaching, or it can be the first step in a paper trail to justify letting you go. This page helps you recognise the difference, and know how to respond in a way that protects your position either way.
Signs worth paying attention to
- Targets that seem designed to be missed, unrealistic, vague, or constantly shifting.
- Little or no real support, training, or feedback offered alongside the plan.
- A short, rigid timeline that doesn't match the scale of what's being asked.
- A sudden PIP with no history of performance concerns being raised before.
None of these automatically mean you're being managed out, but together they're worth having looked at, and how you respond in writing from here genuinely matters.
Questions people ask about performance improvement plans
Not always, some are genuine coaching. But a PIP with unrealistic targets, no real support, and a fixed timeline can be a way to build a paper trail for dismissal. It's worth having the details looked at.
A brief, factual record of what you're being asked to do, any support (or lack of it) you're given, and your own progress. Keep a copy of everything you're given and everything you send back.
It's possible, but a genuine process still matters, realistic targets, real support, and a fair assessment. A PIP designed to fail you regardless of effort is worth having checked.
Say so, in writing, and specifically. Vague objections are easy to dismiss; a clear, factual explanation of why a target isn't achievable holds up much better later.
Tell us what's happening
The earlier you get advice on a PIP, the more options stay open.
Tell us what happened
Takes about two minutes. No long intake form, the detail comes later, once a real adviser is involved.