Performance improvement plan (PIP).
A structured 30/60/90 performance improvement plan with measurable success criteria, weekly check-ins, support commitments, and a clear pass / fail decision at the end. Written to produce improvement, not paperwork for a termination.
Performance Improvement Plan — [Employee Name] Plan period: [Start Date] – [End Date] Manager: [Name] HR partner: [Name] 1. Why we are here Over the period [Date – Date], the following performance concerns have been observed: [Specific outcomes and behaviours. Cite examples. Do not characterise the employee — characterise the work.]…
What's inside the document.
Plain-language explanation of the performance concern. Specific, not personal. Tied to outcomes and behaviours, not character.
What good looks like at the end of the plan period. Measurable, observable, time-bound.
Clear deliverables and behaviours for the first 30 days. Pass / fail at this milestone.
Deliverables for the second 30 days. Cumulative — must hold the 30-day standard.
Final deliverables. Pass = role confirmed; fail = employment ends.
What the manager will do — weekly 1:1s, daily check-ins on hard items, removed obstacles. The plan is a two-way contract.
Training, coaching, additional mentorship the employee can access during the plan period.
Employee, manager, HR. All three sign at plan start and again at each milestone.
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
Three formats, one document.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
6 steps from download to use.
- 01Have HR review the plan draft before the meeting with the employee.
- 02Present the plan in a meeting (with HR present), not in writing alone. The employee should have a chance to ask questions and disagree.
- 03Sign at plan start; weekly check-ins through the period.
- 04At each 30-day milestone, document pass / fail with specifics.
- 05If the plan fails, follow your jurisdiction's termination process exactly. Do not deviate.
- 06If the plan succeeds, confirm the role and close the plan with a written acknowledgement.
The right document at the right moment.
Use a PIP when a current employee's performance is genuinely below the standard the role requires and the manager has decided to formally support an attempt to improve. The PIP is a serious document — it changes the conversation and the file.
Do not use a PIP as a pre-termination ritual. If the decision is already made to end employment, follow the termination path directly; using a PIP for cover is documented in case-law as bad-faith and legally risky.
Honest answers before you download.
- Does a PIP have to be 90 days?
- No. 30 to 90 days is typical; very short or very long PIPs are harder to defend. The plan should be long enough for genuine improvement to be possible and short enough that the situation cannot drift.
- What if the employee refuses to sign?
- Document the refusal and proceed. The plan still operates; the signature is acknowledgement of receipt, not agreement. Have HR present at the meeting and witness the conversation.
- Can I terminate before the plan ends?
- If the plan is being honoured by the manager and there has not been a new, separate cause for termination, you should let the plan complete. Terminating mid-plan without new cause is documented as bad-faith and legally risky.
- Should HR own the plan or the manager?
- The manager owns the plan; HR advises and supports. If HR is owning the plan it usually means the manager is not aligned with the decision — fix that first.
This performance improvement plan (pip) template is a professionally drafted starting point and is not legal advice. The clauses follow current US and AU practice; adapt the document for your specific jurisdiction and have qualified counsel review any clauses you add before signing or distributing. Full disclaimer.