PIP Reaction

[Anonymous]

It sounds like the PIP is being imposed on the OP from above - OP is not allowed to fire this person unless OP jumps through these hoops.

You don't know how it will go, OP, so there's no point in ruminating. Just have your witnesses, write down your main points, and then don't engage except to keep repeating them.

This meeting is going to suck for everyone so you shouldn't expect it to be anything but awful. Your job is to do what you need to do, take care of yourself, and stick to the plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate this kind of conflict, too, but do your best to get through the weekend and think about other things. Will you have a witness? I’d have a witness.

I would have someone else with you.

Oh yes. HR will be on the call and Legal (and HR) approve of the PIP. I just know that the colleague is going to say a bunch of nasty things about the people she works with, and me, in an effort to deflect blame.

Just let HR and Legal do the talking. Since it's a call, you can put yourself on mute to avoid reacting.

This.

No. A PIP is for performance and that’s something a manager addresses not HR. HR is just there as a buffer and a witness. Performance management is literally a big part of being a manager and OP has to do their job

This. HR would PIP their own employees, not someone in the business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just have a few canned phrases ready: I'm sorry you feel that way. It's all spelled out in the documents. I understand.

+1
Adding "the decision is final."

And this one: Unfortunately this is a notification, not a discussion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to PIP a low performer on Tuesday and I can’t stop ruminating over it this weekend. The colleague is going to lose their everliving mind and claim all types of falsehoods. How do I stop caring about the s-storm that’s about to come? The colleague was hired 8 months ago in a senior level role (from a direct competitor) and it’s like she’s never seen the work that we do as an industry. The PIP is necessary, justifiable, and feedback has been addressed verbally and written multiple times.

My observation (no personal experience) is that no one on PIP will actually retain their job. PIPs are just cruel ways of prolonging the decision to fire someone. Just give them severance and send them on their way unless you’ve clearly and honestly laid out an achievable way to retain her position.

Depends on the reason. If it's quantity of production, they can usually get that up. If it's quality, unlikely to improve in my experience.

I did not find this at all. When I had to do PIPs, the typical issues were either inexperience in the work place—we had one where the employee literally had no idea a 40 hour work week was the norm; that one didn’t take long to resolve—or really skilled employees who were failing on a social level and were difficult for their colleagues to work with. The only PIPs that consistently failed were staff who just couldn’t deal even with accommodations (this is such an unfortunate situation, especially when you have someone super smart; we would do everything we could reasonably do to help) or those who truly had no idea how much their ‘quirks’ negatively affected teammates and who could not get to a point of change.

A well handled PIP can be a huge help for an employee who wants to be there, but just needs some blunt feedback and more focused attention from their supervisor. It’s incredibly expensive to hire and onboard new staff. A PIP can make a positive difference not only for the staff member, but for the whole organization. In my experience, about 80% of PIPs result in success for the affected staff.

[Anonymous]

To help you feel a little better about this:

- Realize that it’s unfair to the other employees for this o err don to keep their job while underperforming.
- “Fail fast” - you are doing a disservice to this person by allowing this to drag out. If they have to I gave this conversation with their family that they no longer work at XYZ, it isn’t going to be any easier to have it a month from now. Best to have them start looking for something else sooner than later.
- YOU have to do it. Think if it this way; they probably know they’re not doing well. The employee isn’t going to come to you to say “this isn’t working out”. It’s your job to let them know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she throws a fit, just terminate her based on that. We don’t tolerate inappropriate behavior.

You’ve clearly never worked at a co with a real HR dept

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have to PIP a low performer on Tuesday and I can’t stop ruminating over it this weekend. The colleague is going to lose their everliving mind and claim all types of falsehoods. How do I stop caring about the s-storm that’s about to come? The colleague was hired 8 months ago in a senior level role (from a direct competitor) and it’s like she’s never seen the work that we do as an industry. The PIP is necessary, justifiable, and feedback has been addressed verbally and written multiple times.

My observation (no personal experience) is that no one on PIP will actually retain their job. PIPs are just cruel ways of prolonging the decision to fire someone. Just give them severance and send them on their way unless you’ve clearly and honestly laid out an achievable way to retain her position.

Depends on the reason. If it's quantity of production, they can usually get that up. If it's quality, unlikely to improve in my experience.

I did not find this at all. When I had to do PIPs, the typical issues were either inexperience in the work place—we had one where the employee literally had no idea a 40 hour work week was the norm; that one didn’t take long to resolve—or really skilled employees who were failing on a social level and were difficult for their colleagues to work with. The only PIPs that consistently failed were staff who just couldn’t deal even with accommodations (this is such an unfortunate situation, especially when you have someone super smart; we would do everything we could reasonably do to help) or those who truly had no idea how much their ‘quirks’ negatively affected teammates and who could not get to a point of change.

A well handled PIP can be a huge help for an employee who wants to be there, but just needs some blunt feedback and more focused attention from their supervisor. It’s incredibly expensive to hire and onboard new staff. A PIP can make a positive difference not only for the staff member, but for the whole organization. In my experience, about 80% of PIPs result in success for the affected staff.

Sounds like that was a good company.

Did you never have to PIP people for mental health/abuse issues? I had a colleague who literally could not follow instructions at a level totally incommensurate with their background and job experience. I can only assume it was a mental health issue. It did not appear to be anything about social skills.

[Anonymous]

Don't do this on a call. You owe your employee the decency to have this meeting face-to-face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this on a call. You owe your employee the decency to have this meeting face-to-face.

Remote workplaces and workers still exist you know….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hate this kind of conflict, too, but do your best to get through the weekend and think about other things. Will you have a witness? I’d have a witness.

I would have someone else with you.

Oh yes. HR will be on the call and Legal (and HR) approve of the PIP. I just know that the colleague is going to say a bunch of nasty things about the people she works with, and me, in an effort to deflect blame.

Just let HR and Legal do the talking. Since it's a call, you can put yourself on mute to avoid reacting.

This.

No. A PIP is for performance and that’s something a manager addresses not HR. HR is just there as a buffer and a witness. Performance management is literally a big part of being a manager and OP has to do their job

If the employee reacts emotionally and unprofessionally, that's why HR is there. One way or another, HR would need to handle the employee having an outburst.