A performance improvement plan is a properly laid out guideline that entails what an underperforming employee should do to meet the company's desired expectations. Instead of immediately exiting an employee when they do not meet desired results in their performance, getting one onto a performance improvement plan is like giving them a second chance.
Paul, a procurement professional, agrees that sometimes it takes longer for some employees to reach their maximum potential. If you hired this person because they ticked most of your boxes and yet they're currently not meeting your expectations, a performance improvement plan could help them do that.
So, what does a performance improvement plan entail?
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Company's expectations: A performance improvement plan communicates what the organization expects of you in that given role.
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A timeline: Your boss or immediate supervisor gives you a time frame within which you are expected to up your game. It could be a week, a month, or three months, depending on what is required of you. For instance, an audit associate in company X will likely have their performance reviewed again after an audit.
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Specifies the actual results to be met: Sales professionals can relate well with percentages. When your boss asks you to increase your sales by 40% in the next month, then they have clearly specified the results to be met. All performance improvement plans include measurable desired outcomes.
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Next steps if desired results are not achieved: A performance improvement plan will clarify the next course of action if the employee does not meet the company's expectations. This can be a demotion, transfer to another department, or worse still, termination of their contract.
Now that we know what a performance improvement plan is, here is what you should do next when your boss puts you on one;
1. Accept it
Running away from reality is never a good idea. Accepting your current fate starts with understanding why your boss put you on a performance improvement plan. This process involves taking your boss' feedback constructively. You might think, "I have been doing all I can, coming to work early, and ticking off all my assignments, but why am I here?" The earlier you accept it, the easier it becomes to get all the answers to your questions.
2. Get clarity from your boss
Now that you have accepted this fate, it is possible that you might have been in shock when you first got the news that you are being put on a performance improvement plan. When all the dust is settled, go back to your boss and get clarity. This might involve finding out the areas in which you are failing and the skills you lack. With such an attitude, your boss might be compelled to give you tips to crush your performance improvement plan goals.
3. Identify your key strengths and weaknesses
Capitalizing on your strengths could help you overcome the challenges that you are facing and by identifying your weaknesses you are in a better place to become invincible.
4. Ask for help
No man is an island. Do not feel timid or ashamed to ask for help. Being where you are at the moment is proof that you need an extra hand or push. Look around, who is that colleague who knows Excel Sheets better than everyone else? How about your fellow associate who has met all their sales targets in less than a month? It is time to learn from them.
As you ask for help, work on your interpersonal skills. Study the people who can help you and find an opportune time to make your wish. You can meet them during a lunch break or after work. If you are planning to get help from someone in a superior position, asking for an appointment might be a wiser choice.
Other helpful tips include the following:
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Be polite
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Go straight to the point
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Be clear on how exactly they can help you
5. Set short-term goals
If your boss asks you to grow your client list by 60% in three months, you cannot do it all in one month. Break those goals down according to the available time frame. That could be a 25% monthly increase. Setting short-term goals will help reduce some of the pressure. Do not, however, forget to track your progress against your tasks.
6. Ask for feedback
Please do not wait until the deadline for your performance improvement plan has almost elapsed to get feedback; it might actually be too late. Ask your boss to give you a mini-performance evaluation after a week or two. This way, you are continuously keeping track of your performance.
7. Go back to the drawing board.
Have you done all you can but still haven't met your performance improvement goals? It's time to rethink your career choices. Sometimes wrong placement can be why you're not meeting your expectations at work. It might be the right time to engage a career coach on what you can do next.
There is no perfect journey when it comes to one's career; sometimes, you have to move back a few steps to strategize again. If you have been put on a performance improvement plan, take it as an opportunity to become better in your field.
Read also: 5 tips on how to prepare for a performance review