Performance Improvement Plans: Keeping Records That Are Fair
A performance improvement plan is only fair if the records show clear targets, real support and honest reviews. What to write down at each stage, and what to avoid.
A performance improvement plan (PIP) is meant to give an employee a genuine, structured chance to meet the standard expected of them. In practice it is often seen as a formality before dismissal, and sometimes it is used that way. The records are what separate a fair process from a paper exercise. If the plan is ever reviewed by a tribunal, a court or simply by the employee's representative, the question will be: were the expectations clear, was the support real, and was the assessment honest? Employment law varies by jurisdiction, so check yours and take advice where needed.
Before the plan: the evidence of a problem
A PIP should not be the first time an employee hears there is a concern. Record the earlier informal conversations: when they happened, what was raised, specific examples, and what the employee said. Also check for context that might explain the performance, such as health, caring responsibilities, workload or a change in role. Absence and health information must be handled carefully; see absence and sickness records.
The plan itself
Write it down and give the employee a copy. It should include:
- The gap — what the expected standard is, and specific examples of where it has not been met.
- Targets — measurable, achievable and relevant to the role. "Improve communication" is not a target; "respond to client emails within one working day" is.
- Support — training, mentoring, adjusted workload, more frequent check-ins. Name who provides each and when.
- The review schedule — dates for each check-in and the final review.
- The period — long enough to allow real improvement.
- Possible outcomes — stated plainly, including the possibility of further formal action if the standard is not met.
Record the meeting where the plan was presented, the employee's response, and whether they were offered the chance to be accompanied, where applicable.
During the plan: review notes
At each check-in, record:
- Progress against each target, with evidence.
- Whether the promised support was actually provided. This is where many PIPs fail: training promised and never booked.
- The employee's comments, in their own words where possible.
- Any change to the plan, and the reason.
Share the notes with the employee after each meeting. Notes they have seen are much harder to dispute than notes written in private.
The outcome
At the final review, record the assessment against each target, the decision (completed successfully, extended, or moved to a formal process) and the reasons. If the plan succeeded, say so clearly in writing. An employee who met their targets deserves a record that shows it. If it moves to a formal process, the procedure is covered in disciplinary procedure records.
What to avoid
- Targets that move during the plan without explanation.
- Notes written weeks after the meeting.
- Opinions without examples ("attitude is poor").
- Private notes the employee never sees, kept alongside the official ones.
- Support listed in the plan with no record of it being given.
Where the records live
Keep the PIP as its own record within the employee's file, with restricted access: HR, the manager running the plan, and no one else. Review dates belong on a calendar with reminders, so check-ins do not slip. Set a retention date for the PIP records based on your retention schedule, and dispose of them when it passes unless a live matter requires otherwise.
