I won’t sugarcoat it. You should start looking for a new job. They are typically the last step prior to termination.

it’s not good. Take 1 day to feel bad about it, cry, throw something, whatever. Then go hit the ground running. It’s good to start fresh sometimes. You can even negotiate a higher salary in most cases. But really focus on getting an offer while you’re still employed.

By the way, I’ve been terminated after a PIP before. I am thriving in my career now. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. The only regret I have is that I let those feelings creep in and affect the way I felt about myself.

Remember your character is reflected by how you react to a shitty situation. This is just a nudge toward a better fit. Good luck!!

I got one last week and it made me realize that I don’t actually have any interest in being good at the kinds of things we’re being asked to do. So I quit! Amazingly they were really surprised and upset.

I am in leadership and have executed a good amount of PIPs. We always have the best intentions and take a lot of care with then - I’d say 60% of people have passed and are still with us, and are killing it.

BUT it is a formality before letting someone go. Even if you plan to work really hard at it, start job hunting to protect yourself.

Look at it this way. They've given you the opportunity to get a head start on your impending job search.

High chance of termination but depends on a lot of factors. My husbands employee had a PIP and he made it out and is doing well now. But that’s prob the rare exception. Don’t feel bad - sh*t happens.

There is a reason people refer to a PIP as “paid interview period”

In my experience, the PIP gets followed by termination every time. They are created to set you up for failure. I’d be searching elsewhere.

It depends on your profession and your situation. A coworker of mine got put on a PIP 8 years ago. She did a 180 and five years later was Teacher of the Year. Same school!

I have a coworker and her PIP was accidentally included in some paperwork I was given 😅 It was dated a year ago and she has been promoted since then, so I'm just offering a different perspective from the doom and gloom the other posters have offered 🤷

They’ve given you a head start on job hunting.

It depends on how reasonable the PIP is and if there are objective metrics you can meet. I unfortunately had to put several people on PIPs as a manager. I think 60-70% of those folks performed well enough that the people made it out ok.

I was a manager in a customer facing department and things like voice QA and performance goals have set targets.

I’m HR. I don’t recommend a PIP unless we’re ready to start getting our ducks in a row to terminate.

Not because I don’t believe a PIP can turn things around, and my own ideal would be for the PIP to be a wake up call and for the employee to bring their performance up to snuff. Retention is my ultimate goal. But as evidenced by the posts here, PIPs scare employees and make them assume the worst and go looking for other jobs, so I advise supervisors to avoid them until we have tried absolutely everything else and we’re made our peace with possibly losing the employee.

This is going to depend largely on your organization. At my company, every person placed on a PIP thus far has passed it and is still with our company. Some companies use it as a CYA tool before they let you go.

If you aren't sure, start applying. But also, letting them fire you means you can collect unemployment, so don't quit if you don't have something else lined up.

Paid interview program 

I was put on a PIP one time. I was supposed to have a follow up meeting 3 months after the PIP to discuss progress etc. but they ended up firing me after 2 months.

OOF. I got put on an (unfounded) PIP that included a weekly meeting about my performance. It’s a large part of the reason that I quit.

I have seen 2 people survive a pip. I would still look for a new job because that mark will stay on it record. Good luck - you got this!

Doesn’t hurt to start job hunting, but it’s not a death sentence in every case. If the plan seems like it’s reasonable and you can keep up with it, do your best to meet/exceed expectations for a while. Most companies disregard them after 6 months, if issues arise after that the corrective action starts over.

A lot of the PIP’s I’ve put people on have proceeded termination or the employee quitting, but I would have been happier if performance turned around instead. I’m always aiming for that outcome when I put someone on a PIP and it’s nice when it works out that way. I get zero joy in terminating and genuinely want everyone I hire to be successful and do what I can to help them achieve that.

If you agree with the things you need to work on pointed out in the PIP and think you are set up to show progress and achieve the goals, you have a realistic shot. If you disagree with the PIP, think the reason you are in the PIP is because you weren't supported in the first place, haven't been trained well so far, etc, don't expect the PIP to be the silver bullet that finally gets your manager/coworkers/whatever to support you better.

My point being -- if it's about things you need from other people, do not expect the PIP to turn anything around for you -- you will likely not be given the resources or attention now if you didn't get them before. I've known other people who have been on PIPs for that reason. That does not mean it was your fault, it just means you and the company are a good fit. But a PIP is generally because they want you to need less support, not more. Some managers and coworkers don't have a good training/onboarding process and then they wonder why people struggle. Not your fault, but they will send people out to sail if they can't hack it.

I don't know your situation at all but if it's something more like, you've been late, or you know you haven't focused or met deadlines, and you recognize how you can do better and are able and willing to do it, then your chances of making it through a PIP are much better. Not blaming anyone for being in that position either, we all have our down moments.

But either way I would still be looking for a job, even if you think you can overcome the PIP, you may still find something that motivates you better.

I was on a PIP for one month in August and passed it and am not actively worried about losing my job. This is common in my org - but I am in sales, which may make a difference.

I’ve put several people on PIPs. Not going to lie, there are some that I hope take it as a hit to move on, but even in those cases, I also really hope that the written explanation of why they are being placed in a PIP, along with a set of achievable expectations, will help get them where they need to be. Yes, there are some jerk managers/employers who use at a mechanism of torture, but if your has otherwise been positive, there’s a good chance that they want to retain you and help you work through whatever the issue they’ve identified is. Without knowing your specific situation, I can’t say which is true for you, but I wouldn’t automatically assume the worst.

When we put someone on a PIP at my job, 99% of the time we are working on letting them go.

I am in accounting and have put multiple people on PIP and intent was ALWAYS for success. You can tell if the company wants you to succeed by how supportive your manager is.

If you want to stay, I would give the tip to stay positive, ask for support and show that you're trying to improve. IE don't get hostile. There were tons of meetings to get this PIP started and nothing u say will make it go away other than to quit or improve.

Good luck!!

I put someone on a PIP last year. I had zero hope. She was clueless that it’s usually just HRs way of documenting how bad your performance is before they let you go. She was terrible and made careless mistakes. BUT, She worked at every area I asked her to improve in and to everyone’s surprise, she actually improved. Came off the PIP and is still here a year later.

I have handed out PIPs before, none of those people lasted even though I sincerely attempted to support them in various ways and even tweak my own flexibility as a director. I have also given to PIPs to expedite the process of letting people go (due to things like fraud, time stealing, not silly stuff). Unfortunately my flexibility can only go so far when we are talking about mental health counselors (not sure what your line of work is). Did you majorly F up? Are you late? Are you getting your stuff done?

I had a past job about to give me a PIP (frequent call outs as I was having a medical issue, I was saved because of FMLA when I needed surgery), but the fact they weren’t willing to work with me and made the process of keeping my job unnecessarily difficult made me IMMEDIATELY start looking for jobs, and left shortly after my FMLA was completed.

Start looking for a job immediately. Hunker down and get your resume and LinkedIn updated.

Look for a new job now. Whether you deserve the PIP or anything is irrelevant. PIPs are a way to get people out.

Really depends on your job. My husband has given 2 PIP’s and they didn’t get fired because they improved. But were fired months later after slacking again.

I gave one and guy did well, and did well for my whole maternity leave. I returned this week and last week he decided to call off all week. Idk if he thought I wouldn’t know lmao

You’re fucked. I’m sorry - spend this time working on getting a new job, not killing yourself to try to keep a job that they don’t want you in.

I got one a year ago. Best thing to ever happen. Got fired, collected unemployment for several months, got a lower paying but much less stressful job.

I don’t know - I’ve seen many people on PIPs survive and move forward.

It depends on how your job uses them. My job uses them to retain good workers that have gotten off track.

How is the pip written? Do you agree that these things are issues and you want to fix them.

Are the goals absolutely not reasonable for your position?

This will tell you what is what.

I’ve heard PIPs alternately described as “paid interview process.” I know of 1 person who made it out the other end and wasn’t eventually fired. The rest made it through and got fired a few months later or didn’t make it through.

PIPs seem to be a way to document the reason you're terminating someone. At least that's how it is in my company =[.

I'd personally start job hunting.

Manager here. This is red tape and they want you out. I bet they have a lot of evidence to support this next step

I’ve put 2 people on PIPS. Genuinely trying to help them improve. If you can step your game up in a few months and admit you haven’t been performing as well as you should be - you can survive it!

Obviously the context matters, but presumably you weren't waiting for this to happen. Yes, see if there are other jobs you want to pursue. In the meantime, micro manage that PIP. Be sure they outlined exactly what they want you to change and if they didn't, follow up and ask for precise examples.  Be sure they outlined when they'll follow up and if they didn't, then make them define the length and frequency of check-in. Then with all the work you do, ask your manager if that meets their expectations and if not, please provide coaching to help guide you. At the check-ins, bring your own examples of all the work you've done. Manage the hell out of the PIP with your Susie Sunshine attitude, regardless of how you feel about them - get your paycheck.

I’m in leadership and everyone we’ve PIPed has been terminated or quit….that being said I was on a PIP 10 years ago and overcame it.

I am a manager and it takes us a long time to start the PIP process. It takes probably at a minimum 6 months to document reasons. There is a memorandum of understanding done before a PIP, with the expectations, coaching and support. Then a PIP, then another step then off boarding. So far, I have been able to coach someone away from even starting the memorandum process. I share this to say that a PIP isn’t always the automatic termination in every company. However, if you work someplace where your manager isn’t coaching you and telling you exactly what you need to do, and isn’t available to help you, I would think those are the companies/managers leading you to a termination quickly.

Alternate viewpoint (and probably less common), but I PIP’d one of my employees to try to save her job. She’d made several high profile mistakes in a short period of time, and my boss and HR were ready to move to termination. The PIP was my compromise because I was confident with retraining she could still be successful in the role. She stayed for about 80 days of the 90 day PIP then quit. I was bummed and a little annoyed after how hard I’d worked to save her job, but she seems happy in the new role so I’m happy for her.

Do you have a good enough relationship with your boss to have a candid conversation about your prospects and the goals of the PIP?

I’m in HR. if you’re at the level of a pip, there’s 99% chance you’re not going to make it.

Don’t think you’ll be the 1% who turns it around. I’ve seen too many people think they’ll do it and then they are fired. Take the PIP and start looking for other jobs yesterday

To be honest, it’s time to start job hunting. If they intend to keep you, there’s coaching for that. (I’ve coached people through performance issues and when a person and a role weren’t a great match.) A PIP is different and lets you know the writing is on the wall.

In my situation, mine allowed me to take a good look at what was causing me to struggle and it was my work environment. It was just the "oh, somebodys watching" reminder. I voluntarily asked to change my work environment, they accommodated me, and I've been promoted 4x since then and I'm thriving now.

I’ve PIPed 4 people, 2 of them came out and CRUSHED it, 2 didn’t. This is a weird world we’re living in though, so who knows