For years, companies have relied on Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to help struggling employees get back on track.
The idea makes sense: provide a structured way to improve performance before considering termination. 

But here’s the problem: PIPs rarely work as intended. 

Instead of driving real improvement, they often create stress, uncertainty, and disengagement—for both the employee and the organization.
Even HR professionals, the ones tasked with implementing PIPs, often find themselves frustrated by how ineffective they can be. 

So the real question is: If PIPs aren’t fixing the problem, why are we still using them?

The Hidden Cost of PIPs

The intent behind PIPs is good—companies want to provide employees with a chance to improve before making tough decisions.
But in reality, PIPs often fall short because:

🔹 **They come too late.** By the time an employee is put on a PIP, feedback has likely been missing for months (or even years).
Instead of feeling supported, employees feel blindsided. 

🔹 **They focus on symptoms, not causes.** If performance is slipping, is it truly an individual issue—or is there a bigger structural
challenge (like lack of training, shifting goals, or unclear expectations)? 

🔹 **They are expensive.** Extending employment for 30, 60, or 90 days without a real strategy burns resources—without actually improving outcomes. 

And here’s the kicker: If a PIP doesn’t work, the company still ends up firing the employee—only now, they’ve wasted additional time and money. 

So if the goal is truly performance improvement, we need a better way.

What Works Better Than a PIP?

If companies want to improve performance—without the inefficiency and frustration of PIPs—they should focus on:

1️⃣ **Proactive, Ongoing Feedback** 
👉 Don’t wait until it’s too late. Employees thrive when they get consistent guidance, not last-minute interventions. 

2️⃣ **Manager Accountability** 
👉 If multiple employees are struggling, it’s a sign that leadership should be assessed, too. Performance improvement should be a two-way street. 

3️⃣ **Clear Role Expectations & Growth Plans** 
👉 Many underperforming employees were never set up for success to begin with. A structured coaching and development approach is far more effective than a PIP. 

4️⃣ **Earlier Intervention—Before It Becomes a PIP Situation** 
👉 Instead of documenting failure, HR and leadership should focus on earlier coaching, clearer expectations, and realignment when needed.

Final Thought: The Goal is Performance, Not Process

HR professionals, managers, and employees all want the same thing—teams that succeed. But if PIPs worked as well as we hoped,
we wouldn’t see so many of them. 

The real solution isn’t more documentation—it’s better leadership, more effective coaching, and earlier interventions. When those things are in place,
PIPs become unnecessary—because employees are already set up to succeed. 

What do you think? Have you seen an alternative approach work better than a PIP? Let’s start a conversation.