Most PIPs fail for the same reason: they’re vague. “Improve your communication” isn’t a goal — it’s a complaint. A good PIP is specific enough that both of you can tell, on a set date, whether it was met. That specificity is what makes it fair to the employee and what makes it hold up if the relationship ends.
What a good PIP includes
- Specific deficiencies. The actual gaps, with concrete examples and dates — not adjectives.
- Measurable goals. What “improved” looks like, in terms you could both verify. Numbers, deadlines, quality standards.
- A clear timeline. A defined period (often 30, 60, or 90 days) with check-in dates built in.
- Support and resources. Training, coaching, tools — what you’ll provide. A PIP with no support reads as a setup, and courts notice.
- Consequences, stated plainly. What happens if the goals are met, and what happens if they’re not.
- Scheduled check-ins. Regular, documented touchpoints — not a plan you hand over and never revisit.
The mistakes that make a PIP backfire
- Vague goals nobody can objectively measure — so any outcome looks arbitrary.
- No support, which makes the PIP look like a pretext rather than a genuine chance.
- Using it purely as a paper trail to fire someone you’ve already decided on. If it’s obviously pretextual — especially right after a complaint or a protected activity — it can strengthen a claim instead of protecting you.
- Inconsistency — PIP-ing one person for what others do freely.
- No follow-through on your own check-in commitments.
Don’t start a PIP from a blank page
The Progressive Discipline Packet gives you a PIP template, the corrective-action form, and a guide to running the whole sequence — specific, fair, and defensible, without HR jargon.
See the Discipline Packet →Common questions
Is a PIP just a step before firing?
It shouldn’t be treated as one. A good PIP is a genuine chance to improve — and if the person does, you’ve kept an employee. If they don’t, you have a fair, documented record. Going in having already decided is the mistake.
How long should a PIP be?
Long enough to fairly show improvement — commonly 30 to 90 days depending on the role and the goals. Too short looks like a formality.
Does a PIP protect me legally?
A fair, specific, consistently applied PIP with real support is strong documentation. A vague or pretextual one can do the opposite — so how it’s written matters.
What if they don’t improve?
Then your consequences — stated up front — apply, and you have the record to support the decision. That’s exactly why the plan is written the way it is.