The Best 7 Free PIP Templates for Employee Performance Management
Effortlessly manage employee performance with these free PIP templates. Designed specifically for HR professionals, these customizable forms will help you streamline your strategy and improve employee productivity. Don't let poor performance management hold you back any longer.
While positive reinforcement and fostering a supportive environment are crucial, there's another powerful tool in your arsenal: Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs).
Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are often viewed as a final measure in communication with employees struggling to meet expectations. However, if utilized strategically, PIPs can prove to be highly beneficial.
Here are some free PIP (Performance Improvement Plan) templates you can instantly download for employee performance management.
Startup Performance Improvement Plan
by Tempate.net
Startups often operate in a fast-paced environment with evolving goals. This free PIP template provides a structured framework for timely addressing performance concerns.
- Employee Details: This section captures basic details about the employee undergoing the PIP.
- Areas of Concern: This section focuses on the areas where improvement is needed, including clear examples of when and where these issues occurred.
- Previously Addressed Issues: It should include the date the issue was resolved and the actions taken to address it.
- Expectations: Clearly outline desired performance and behavior standards.
- Progress Monitoring: Establish a schedule for check-ins and reviews to track progress.
Employee Performance Improvement Plan Template
by Google Docs
Google Doc
It is a free collaborative Google Doc template that allows multiple users to edit and review the PIP.
- Employee Details: Capture basic employee info (name, title, department, manager).
- Target Area: Identify areas needing improvement with specific examples.
- Expected Standards: Outline clear performance and behavior expectations.
- Improvement Actions: Detail SMART actions for achieving expected standards.
- Training & Support: Identify resources to help the employee improve.
- Check-ins & Reviews: Schedule meetings to track progress and address roadblocks.
- Final Review: Outline the process for final evaluation and potential outcomes.
Customizable 30 Day Performance Improvement Plan Template
by Smartsheet
PFD
It is a structured document to track an employee's performance and measure their progress toward improvement goals. It consists of 7 sections.
- Employee Information: Includes essential details about the employee, such as name, role, department, manager's name, and date.
- Performance Deficiencies: Clearly specifies areas requiring improvement in the employee's performance, supported by concrete instances.
- Improvement Plan: Details precise steps employees must follow to enhance their performance; these measures align with identified deficiencies and are quantifiable.
- Expectations: Describes desired employee performance levels throughout the PIP duration.
- Evaluation Process: Explains methods used to assess and monitor employee development, often involving recurring check-ins with managers.
- Resources: Lists accessible tools to aid employee improvement—examples include educational content, coaching opportunities, and added assistance from team members.
- Signatures: A designated area for employee and supervisor signatures and dates, confirming mutual understanding and agreement on the PIP's conditions.
📂This template is free to download when you create an account using your work email address.
Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Outline
by Template.net
Word
This template is a basic outline for creating a PIP, including sections for:
- employee information
- performance issues
- performance prospects
- improvement plan
- timeline
- monitoring feedback
- anticipated outcomes & consequences.
This tool stands out because it includes a dedicated timeline section for achieving improvement goals. This empowers managers and employees to set goals with a clear roadmap for success.
🔢It is editable and fully customizable.
Performance Improvement Plan Template
by Stakeholdermap.com
Excel
Aside from the employee's profile information, there are sections on:
- Behavior, Skills and/or Knowledge Under Review: This specifies the specific areas where the employee needs to improve.
- Planned Activities: It details the specific actions the employee needs to take to improve. There’s also a “Who Can Help?” section that specifies who the employee can go to for support with each activity.
- Measures of Success: This section outlines how success will be measured for each planned activity.
- Target Date: It specifies the target date by which each activity should be completed.
- Comments on Progress/Outcome: It helps track the employee’s progress toward completing the activities.
PIP templates like this act as a one-stop shop for creating and managing performance improvement plans, offering benefits like standardized formatting and clear communication channels for all parties involved.
📝This saves HR time and effort by providing a pre-built framework that can be easily adapted to individual situations.
Employee Performance Review Template
by WPS Template
Excel, WPS Office
It is a basic employee performance review template to identify areas where an employee needs improvement.
The template includes sections for the employee's name, address, department, reviewer, date, and review period.
It also includes a rating scale for different job skills and performance metrics, such as:
- job knowledge
- work quality
- productivity
- technical skills
- work consistency
- attitude
- attendance.
💡The rating scale from excellent to poor helps pinpoint areas where the employee excels and areas needing development.
Performance Improvement Plan
by Best Collections
JPG
🌟This is a PIP template with a clear and concise structure catering to the needs of any business and allowing to collaborate with employees effectively. It features several sections.
- Employee Information: Includes name, department, review date, and meeting time.
- Standards of Performance Reviewed: Lists areas evaluated (e.g. productivity, teamwork).
- Examples of Performance During Review Period: Provides specific instances of behavior, good and bad.
- Improvement Plan: Sets specific, measurable goals for improvement with action steps and deadlines.
How PIP Templates Drive Employee Performance
For those willing to unlock peak performance and employee satisfaction, there are nine key strategies to cultivate a thriving workplace, and some of them can be surprisingly enhanced by incorporating PIP templates.
Let's explore how PIPs can be used for growth, not just correction.
- Digging Deeper: PIPs encourage managers to investigate why performance isn't meeting expectations. This goes beyond blame and helps identify root causes, paving the way for targeted improvement strategies.
- Shared Vision: By setting measurable and realistic goals, PIPs create a clear roadmap for employees and managers. Everyone understands what "better" looks like, making progress easier to track and celebrate.
- Positive Conversations: PIPs can be a framework for open discussions – not just about shortcomings, but also about acknowledging achievements and strengths. This fosters a more positive and productive dialogue.
- Ongoing Support: PIPs facilitate regular check-ins and feedback sessions. This keeps employees on track, and motivated, and allows course corrections as needed.
FAQs on Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
A PIP is a tool to help the employee improve their work performance when there's a consistent pattern of problems. It's not for one-time mistakes or vague issues.
What are the signs you need a PIP?
- Repeated Issues: An employee keeps making the same mistakes despite warnings.
- Undisciplined Behavior: Their actions are costing the company money or causing client dissatisfaction.
- Unacceptable Performance: They're consistently falling short of expectations, like missing quotas or deadlines.
- Lack of Accountability: They refuse to take responsibility for their mistakes or improvement.
What are examples of applying PIP?
- A salesperson misses sales goals repeatedly.
- A developer writes code that keeps failing quality checks.
- A manager keeps missing important deadlines due to poor planning.
- An employee disrupts meetings by constantly interrupting others.
How to Make a Good PIP?
- Specific and Measurable: Clearly outline the problems and what success looks like.
- Focus on Behavior: Instead of saying "bad attitude," say "cuts people off in meetings."
- Clear Goals and Timeline: Define achievable goals and a timeframe for improvement.
How to introduce the PIP?
- Be Direct and Honest: Schedule a private meeting to discuss the PIP and the specific concerns.
- Get Their Signature: Acknowledge receipt, but explain this doesn't mean they agree with everything. It shows they're aware of the expectations.
How to manage the PIP?
- Collaborative Approach: Encourage the employee to create a plan to meet the goals. Offer support if appropriate.
- Regular Check-Ins: Schedule meetings to track progress and address any roadblocks.
- Be Transparent: Explain that some employees use PIPs as a sign to find a new job.
What happens after the PIP?
- Success: The employee meets the goals and improves their performance.
- Partial Success: They make some progress, but may need an extended or revised PIP.
- Failure: There's no improvement, and termination may be necessary
🖋 A PIP is a chance for an employee to improve. By being clear, and supportive, and holding them accountable, you can help them turn things around.
Start today by signing up for a free trial of TMetric to track your progress on your PIP goals.