Something to doReviews & performance
Understand your performance improvement plan
A step-by-step sequence for the weeks of a performance plan, so you know exactly what's asked and where you stand
Why it’s worth your time
The hardest part of a performance plan is usually not knowing exactly what counts as success. Getting each criterion written down and checked weekly turns a frightening unknown into specific work, and leaves a clear record that you did it. Thinking through your options at the same time means you're not making decisions out of fear.
How to handle a performance improvement plan
You’ll come away with criteria you both understand, a weekly check, and a clear head about your options.
We’ll send one calendar invite per step.
- Tell us when you got the plan.
The dates below are counted from your date you got the plan.
Set the date and every step below gets a real day.
- The day you get it · 10 minListen, take notes, and ask for the plan in writing with a day to read it before you respond.
- The next day · 20 minRead the plan closely. For each item, note whether it says what done looks like, by when, and who decides.
- Two days after · 30 minGo through your questions with your manager, and agree how progress will be checked each week.
- Later that week · 30 minQuietly think through your options: what it will take to succeed, and what you'd do if it doesn't work out.
- One week in · 20 minAt the first weekly check-in, go through what you did on each item and ask whether you're on track. Repeat every week of the plan.
- When the plan ends · 10 minAsk for the outcome in writing, whichever way it goes, and take a day before deciding anything big.
We’ll send one calendar invite per step.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensWe’ll put it on your calendar and remind you before it starts.
- A living page in your VaultKeep it as one page you add to, next to your reviews and your files.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
A performance plan usually involves HR and set steps, and your manager may be following a script they didn't write. Treating them as a partner in the plan, not an opponent, tends to make the weeks go better whichever way it ends.
What might make this harder
Write your best understanding of each item and send it, asking them to correct anything that's wrong. A written reading they don't dispute is far clearer than nothing.
Questions people ask
What is a performance improvement plan?
A formal, written plan that sets out specific things an employee needs to improve, by when, and how progress will be checked. It usually involves HR, and the outcome can range from staying on track to leaving the company.
Does a PIP mean I'm going to be fired?
Not necessarily. Some people complete plans and stay; for others a plan is a step toward an exit. It's reasonable to work hard to succeed and quietly prepare for the alternative at the same time.
Should I sign a performance improvement plan?
It depends on your company and where you work. Ask what your signature means before you sign; at some companies it only confirms you received the plan. If you're unsure, an employment lawyer can advise you.
How do I get through a PIP?
Get each criterion in writing with a clear measure, meet your manager weekly to check progress, keep short notes of what you did, and think through your options calmly rather than in a panic.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Being put on a performance plan is one of the more frightening things that happens at work, and it often comes with a sense of shame that makes people go quiet. That's understandable, and it's worth resisting. A plan is a document, and documents can be read, questioned and clarified. Much of the fear is about what you don't know yet, so the first job is to know more.
From the company's side, a plan usually exists to make a performance problem specific and to show that the person was given a fair chance to fix it. Sometimes it's a genuine attempt to help someone turn things around. Sometimes the outcome is already largely decided. Your manager may not say which, and may not fully know. Either way, you're better off with clear criteria, a regular check, and a written record of what you did.
That written record deserves a plain word, because people on a plan often feel awkward keeping one. The record isn't aimed at your manager. It keeps you both working from the same facts, and if things end badly, it's also a fair account of what you did. Keeping it is ordinary care, not a sign of distrust.
Be honest with yourself as you go. Some plans reflect a real gap, and some reflect a job that no longer fits, and it's possible to work hard at one while quietly preparing for the other. If you believe the plan is connected to a complaint you raised, a leave you took, or discrimination, don't wait for it to run its course: speak to an employment lawyer early, since timing can matter.
Other simple things to consider
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.