Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Guide: Templates, Examples and How to Write One

KEY TAKEAWAY

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a structured, documented support process for employees whose performance has fallen below expectations. Done right, it gives the employee clear targets, real support, and a fair timeline. Done wrong, it becomes a legal liability. This guide shows you how to do it right, with templates for three role types.

The phrase 'you're being put on a PIP' carries a lot of weight. For many employees, it signals the end of their time at a company. For many managers, it triggers anxiety about difficult conversations and legal risk.Neither reaction is inevitable. A well-designed PIP is a structured support process that gives an underperforming employee a genuine opportunity to succeed. The documentation it creates protects both the employee and the organization if the outcome is ultimately separation. And the accountability structure it establishes has helped many employees turn their performance around.This guide explains what a PIP must include, how to write one that is fair and legally defensible, and provides ready-to-use templates for three common role types.

What Is a Performance Improvement Plan?

PIP Definition

A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is a formal HR document issued when an employee's performance has fallen below the minimum expected standard. It defines specific performance deficiencies, sets measurable improvement targets, establishes a support and review timeline (typically 30, 60, or 90 days), and documents the consequences if targets are not met. A PIP creates a formal record of both the performance issue and the corrective process.

A PIP is not a warning letter, a verbal coaching conversation, or a disciplinary action. It sits further along the progressive discipline pathway: it comes after informal coaching and formal warnings have not produced improvement, and before a final decision about employment status.The defining feature of a PIP is accountability infrastructure: specific targets, a defined timeline, scheduled check-in meetings, and documented support. This structure is what separates a PIP from a vague 'you need to do better' conversation that leaves both parties without clarity.

When Should HR Issue a Performance Improvement Plan?

A PIP is appropriate when all of the following conditions are met:

1. The performance gap is specific and documentable. Vague concerns like 'attitude issues' are not appropriate PIP territory. Missed revenue targets, quality failure rates, deadline misses, or documented behavioral incidents are.
2. The employee has received clear communication of expectations. A PIP cannot hold someone accountable to standards they were never told about. The expectations must have been communicated, ideally in writing.
3. Prior feedback and coaching have not produced improvement. A PIP is not a first response to underperformance. Informal coaching, a verbal warning, and a written warning should typically precede a PIP.
4. The organization is genuinely open to the employee succeeding. A PIP used purely as documentation for a predetermined termination decision is legally and ethically problematic. If the decision to separate has already been made, a PIP is not the right tool.

What a PIP Must Include

A legally defensible and operationally useful PIP includes eight elements:

• Employee information: name, role, department, manager, start date of PIP
• Specific performance deficiencies: documented examples of the gap with dates, observable behaviors, and measurable outcomes
• Clear improvement targets: specific, measurable goals the employee must achieve by the end of the PIP period
• Timeline: start date, end date, and interim review dates (typically 30, 60, and 90 days)
• Support and resources: what the organization will provide to help the employee succeed (coaching sessions, training, manager time, tools)
• Check-in schedule: dates of scheduled progress review meetings during the PIP period
• Consequences: a clear statement of what happens if improvement targets are not met
• Signatures: employee acknowledgment that the PIP has been received and discussed (not necessarily agreement with its contents)

Legal note

PIP requirements vary by jurisdiction and employment type. Always consult your employment legal counsel before issuing a PIP, particularly for at-will employment states, unionized workforces, or employees with protected characteristics where additional documentation standards may apply.

PIP Template: Software Engineer

PIP Template: Software Engineer Role

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Employee Name: Date Issued:Role: Software Engineer Level:Department: Engineering Manager:PIP Period: [Start Date] to [End Date]

SECTION 1: PERFORMANCE DEFICIENCIESThe following specific performance deficiencies have been identified:

[Deficiency 1]: Code quality below team standardEvidence: In sprints [X, Y, Z] during [months], [Employee] submitted code that required significant rework averaging [X] hours per sprint due to [specific issues: missing unit tests / inadequate error handling / undocumented functions]. This has resulted in [specific impact: delayed releases / increased tech debt / additional review burden on senior engineers].

[Deficiency 2]: Missed delivery commitmentsEvidence: Of the [X] sprint commitments made during [period], [X] were not completed on time, representing [X]% miss rate against the team average of [X]%. The delays contributed to [specific impact on product or team].

SECTION 2: IMPROVEMENT TARGETSBy the end of this PIP period, [Employee] must demonstrate:

Target 1: Code quality

• Submit code with zero critical review comments in [X] consecutive sprints
• Achieve unit test coverage of [X]% on all submitted code
• Zero rework items attributed to incomplete documentation

Target 2: Delivery reliability

• Complete [X]% or above of sprint commitments for [X] consecutive sprints
• Notify manager within 24 hours if a committed item is at risk of delay

SECTION 3: SUPPORT PROVIDED

• Weekly 1-on-1 coaching sessions with [Manager] focused on technical delivery
• Pairing sessions with [Senior Engineer] for the first 4 weeks
• Access to [specific training course or resource]
• Review of sprint planning process to ensure commitments are realistic

SECTION 4: REVIEW SCHEDULE30-day review: [Date] - review progress against targets, adjust support if needed60-day review: [Date] - assess trajectory toward end-of-PIP targets90-day final review: [Date] - final assessment and outcome decision

SECTION 5: CONSEQUENCESIf the improvement targets above are not met by [End Date], the outcome may include further disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

SECTION 6: SIGNATURESManager: Date:Employee: Date:HR Representative: Date:

PIP Template: Sales Representative

PIP Template: Sales Representative Role

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Employee Name: Date Issued:Role: Sales Representative Territory:Department: Sales Manager:PIP Period: [Start Date] to [End Date]

SECTION 1: PERFORMANCE DEFICIENCIES[Deficiency 1]: Quota attainment below minimum thresholdEvidence: In [Month 1], [Month 2], and [Month 3], [Employee] achieved [X]%, [X]%, and [X]% of quota respectively, against the minimum expected performance threshold of [X]%. Total revenue closed of [X]represents[X]X] represents [X]% of the [X]represents[X]X] target for the period.

[Deficiency 2]: Pipeline generation below expectationEvidence: [Employee]'s pipeline at time of this PIP is [$X], representing [X] weeks of coverage against quota. The team standard is [X] weeks of pipeline coverage. This indicates insufficient prospecting activity to support a performance recovery within this quarter.

SECTION 2: IMPROVEMENT TARGETSTarget 1: Revenue performance

• Achieve [X]% of monthly quota for each of the [X] months in the PIP period
• Close a minimum of [$X] in new ARR by [End Date]

Target 2: Pipeline health

• Build and maintain pipeline coverage of [X]x monthly quota at all times
• Add a minimum of [X] new qualified opportunities per week

Target 3: CRM hygiene

• Maintain 100% CRM update rate within 24 hours of each customer interaction
• Forecast accuracy within [X]% of actual for each weekly submission

SECTION 3: SUPPORT PROVIDED

• Bi-weekly deal review sessions with [Sales Manager]
• Prospecting coaching from [Senior AE or Sales Director] for first 30 days
• Access to [specific sales training or methodology resource]
• Review of territory and account assignment to ensure adequate addressable market

SECTION 4: REVIEW SCHEDULE30-day review: [Date]60-day review: [Date]Final review: [Date]

SECTION 5: CONSEQUENCESFailure to meet the above targets by [End Date] may result in further disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

SECTION 6: SIGNATURESManager: Date:Employee: Date:HR Representative: Date:

PIP Template: People Manager

PIP Template: People Manager Role

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Employee Name: Date Issued:Role: [Manager Title] Team Size:Department: Manager's Manager:PIP Period: [Start Date] to [End Date]

SECTION 1: PERFORMANCE DEFICIENCIES[Deficiency 1]: Team engagement and retentionEvidence: [Employee]'s team reported an average manager effectiveness score of [X] out of 5 in the [Month] survey, against the company average of [X]. [X] team members have resigned in the past [X] months, citing [themes from exit interviews]. These outcomes suggest a pattern of management behavior that is negatively impacting team stability and performance.

[Deficiency 2]: Failure to conduct required people management activitiesEvidence: HR records show that [Employee] completed [X] of [X] required 1-on-1 meetings, [X] of [X] performance reviews, and [X] of [X] IDPs for their direct reports during [period]. This falls below the minimum standard of [X]% completion required of all managers.

SECTION 2: IMPROVEMENT TARGETSTarget 1: Team engagement

• Achieve manager effectiveness score of [X] or above in next survey ([Date])
• Zero voluntary attrition from direct reports during the PIP period

Target 2: People management activities

• Complete 100% of weekly 1-on-1s with all direct reports
• Complete all outstanding performance reviews by [Date]
• Create or update IDPs for all [X] direct reports by [Date]

Target 3: Communication

• Complete manager communication training by [Date]
• Implement [specific communication practice] as evidenced by [measurable outcome]

SECTION 3: SUPPORT PROVIDED

• Bi-weekly coaching sessions with [HR Business Partner]
• Manager development program enrollment: [Program name]
• Access to [specific management training resource]
• Monthly skip-level check-in between [Employee]'s manager and their direct reports to monitor team sentiment

SECTION 4: REVIEW SCHEDULE30-day review: [Date]60-day review: [Date]Final review: [Date]

SECTION 5: CONSEQUENCESIf targets are not met by [End Date], the outcome may include role change, demotion from management, or termination of employment.

SECTION 6: SIGNATURESManager's Manager: Date:Employee: Date:HR Representative: Date:

How to Deliver a PIP Conversation

The written PIP document is only as effective as the conversation in which it is delivered. How you present the PIP determines whether the employee engages with it as a genuine opportunity or shuts down.

1. Schedule a private meeting with the employee and their HR business partner present. Never deliver a PIP by email or without HR in the room.
2. Open by acknowledging what the employee has contributed before addressing the performance gap. A PIP does not erase prior good work.
3. Be direct and specific. Read the performance deficiency section clearly. Do not soften it to the point where the seriousness is lost.
4. Give the employee time to respond. They may be surprised, upset, or have context you are not aware of. Listen before moving to the improvement targets.
5. Walk through the targets and support sections together. Confirm the employee understands what success looks like and what resources are available.
6. Ask the employee to sign as acknowledgment of receipt, not agreement. If the employee refuses to sign, note that refusal in the HR record and proceed with the PIP.
7. Schedule the first check-in meeting before ending the conversation so the employee knows support begins immediately.

How TraineryHCM Tracks PIP Progress

TraineryHCM's PIP module provides milestone tracking, scheduled check-in reminders, manager and employee notes, and automatic documentation of all progress conversations. HR leaders can view all active PIPs across the organization in a single dashboard, seeing which employees are on track, which require intervention, and which PIPs are approaching their end date.

Because PIPs in TraineryHCM are connected to the performance record, calibration sessions and future review cycles have full context on any prior corrective action. The documentation does not live in a folder on HR's desktop. It is part of the employee's structured performance history.