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Management & Leadership vocabulary · Performance Management

Performance improvement plan

Meaning in management & leadership, with examples

nounCommon term

In management & leadership, performance improvement plan means: A formal written plan given to an employee who is not meeting expectations, setting out specific goals, the support offered and a time limit for improvement.

In Turkish: performans geliştirme planı, performans iyileştirme planı

How it is used

Usually shortened to PIP, especially in American companies. A PIP often lasts 30 to 90 days and is reviewed regularly. Employees often see it as a serious warning, so managers are trained to use clear, factual language.

Example sentences

  1. He was put on a performance improvement plan after missing his targets twice.

  2. A good performance improvement plan includes clear goals and regular check-ins.

Common collocations

  • put someone on a performance improvement plan
  • complete a performance improvement plan
  • PIP review
  • 60-day PIP
  • underperformTo do less well than expected or than others; used about an employee, a team, a product or a business unit.
  • performance reviewA regular formal meeting in which a manager and an employee discuss how well the employee has done their job, agree on a rating and set goals for the next period.
  • SMART goalsGoals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound; a common checklist for making goals clear enough to act on and track.
  • feedbackComments on how well someone has done a piece of work or behaved, given so that they can keep doing what works and improve what does not.
  • line managerThe person directly above you who manages your daily work, approves your leave and reviews your performance.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Performance Management

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