The Manager's Pocket Guide to Leadership Skills

Tips for Creating thePerformance Improvement Plan

1.  Make the plan simple, practical, and easy to understand. Target one, or possibly two areas, in which the employee needs to improve performance. Provide examples of how the work will improve. For example, “The employee will correctly file all correspondence, using standardized office procedures, within three working days of receipt of the correspondence.” When the employee is unsure about where to file the correspondence, he or she will ask a supervisor for specific directions regarding filing the document.

2.  Include specific time lines for targeted behaviors. To ensure that both you and the employee have a clear understanding of when and how the behavior will be improved, include specifics ...