Sample Performance Improvement Plan

If they are not meeting your expectations you have two choices!

First choice is pretty straight forward! Terminate them for poor performance provided it is well documented!

Second choice, generally much more cost effective, is to produce an improvement plan that will turn them into a fully productive employee.

Determine if the poor performance is a matter of "Can't or "Won't"!

If it is "Won't" then discipline may be the desired and best solution!

Your first step is to define the poor performance. Do not generalize otherwise you can't specifically target the necessary training or solutions.

It is also important to agree on the necessary course of action with the employee. Ultimately it is still your decision but getting buy in is always a huge plus!

Also try to agree on how much follow up is necessary. Do you need to meet daily, weekly, etc. Follow up is one of the most important elements so that you can make sure that progress is being made and the employee is moving in the right direction.

Finally, agree on what happens if the employee does not improve! Will they be demoted, given more time, or will they be terminated!

It is a common fact that within your business you will, from time to time, discover you have one or a number of workers who will be under performing. This can understandably be an extremely frustrating problem as under performance can dramatically affect the overall success of your business and the productivity of your team overall. However, by devising a performance improvement plan for such employees, you can help to resolve these issues and witness the positive results for yourself.

As a business owner or manager, your primary goal will be to get the best from your employees in order to optimize your business’ success. Often, a worker may perform better with the simple piece of encouragement which can provide them with the motivation and focus they require. However, it is possible that you may come across some workers who will require a somewhat more aggressive approach. A performance improvement plan will not be something that your employees welcome initially, but it should not be portrayed as something negative. A vast number of businesses will rely on the use of a performance improvement plan, so it is important to reiterate this to your workers and also help them to understand that this plan will benefit them just as much as it will benefit you. But just what is the purpose of a performance improvement plan?

Implementing a Performance Improvement Plan is One of the easiest ways in which to improve on low performing workers…

In short, a performance improvement plan is utilized to help any under performing worker improve in order to do their utmost for their employer. By identifying a series of guidelines that they should follow as part of their role, an employee can fully understand what is expected of them and with the required direction, can positively work towards achieving their goal. By utilizing a performance improvement plan, you can set goals for individual workers, monitor their success and progress and chart this progress through a series of reviews. It should not be used as a means to name and shame under performers, but instead, be used constructively and be devised following a conversation between yourself and the employee in question. It should be constructed in a manner that clearly identifies the minimum expectations that are laid out for the individual and the time frame in which you desire each goal to be achieved within.

One of the easiest ways in which to improve on low performing workers is by investing in a guide that will help you to learn how to build a strong team and effectively eliminate those who will have a negative impact on your business. It is only by being confident in the abilities of your team that you will be able to fully focus on other areas of your business in order to help it flourish. By investing in an innovative and insightful guide such as ‘Leading the Way: Manager’s Guide to Performance Improvement’ courtesy of Guide To Performance, you will learn the fundamentals of managing your employees in order to optimize your overall success. Managing your workers effectively will help you eliminate time wasting and will show you how to effectively keep your employees motivated and successfully working towards their individual goals.

Your business’ future relies heavily on the effort and work that both you and your employees put in so why not implement a performance improvement plan for those not performing?

Many business owners make the mistake of burying their head in the sand when it comes to under performers or may take the extreme step of ignoring them altogether. Either way, these actions will not create a solution for your problems which will do nothing to aid in the progress of your business. By utilizing the Guide to Performance plan, you can understand the importance of performance improvement plans and implement these throughout your workforce. The knowledge you are given will help your employees to work harder, become more proud of their positions which in turn will help teach them to take responsibility for the quality of their work and lastly; will help your business become more efficient for optimized results. However, it is important to remember that a performance improvement plan is not just about helping your business to improve, but it will also help your employees to gain the attributes they need in order to move forward throughout their careers.

Your business’ future relies heavily on the effort and work that both you and your employees put in. In fact, your business will be set to fail if you do not have dedicated and loyal workers in place. By understanding the importance of performance improvement plans and how these can be utilized to separate the weak links from your workforce, you can work towards creating focused and somewhat ambitious employees which in turn, will help lead the way to your businesses future success and the success of your workers.

The following format is exactly how I have always issued performance improvement plans to my employees. It clearly points out the problem, how it should be done, and the deadline for improvement.

You can change the format but make sure you include these three elements or you have not met the minimum criteria if challenged by the legal process.

Here is my example:

Date: August 28, 2009

From: Supervisor

To: Employee

Re: Notification of Unacceptable Performance/Opportunity to Improve

1. This is to notify you that your performance of the duties in your position as Housekeeper is unacceptable.

2. Specifically, since the beginning of the appraisal period, your performance, as reviewed against your position description, has been as follows:

Key Element: Cleaning and Maintenance - Cleaning, waste management and floor maintenance of guest and administrative areas will be accomplished according to established frequencies and procedures which result in a safe, sanitary and attractive environment conducive to a HOTEL setting. Equipment will be operated, maintained and cleaned according to procedure and returned to its proper storage area.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection reports dated 8/20/09, 8/19/09, 8/2/09, 7/24/09, 6/21/09, 6/3/09, 5/16/09, 5/2/09, 4/24/09, and 4/3/09. Specifically you are failing to move or clean under items/furniture, clean corners, sweep, mop, vacuum as required.

Why reinvent the wheel! After all don’t over think things! If you try to complicate something it will become complicated! Once complicated it will become less and less effective until it is useless!

When it comes to performance management it is no different. The most important thing about good performance management software is having choices to track the various elements of your employee’s performance. As an example your organization may want to track anything from safety to absenteeism. On the other hand you may be interested in how many widgets they make. In either case having performance management software that will help you organize these types of items so that you can make management decisions that will assist you in employee development.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection reports dated 7/24/09, 6/21/09, 5/16/09, and 4/24/09. Specifically you fail to not wipe down the door frame, or clean the door glass on the inside and out.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection report dated 7/24/0X, 6/21/0X, and 4/24/0X. Specifically you fail to clean the lights by removing dead insects.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection report dated 7/24/09, 6/21/09, 5/16/09, and 4/24/09. Specifically you fail to wipe dust and cobwebs from windowsills.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection report dated 7/24/09, 6/21/09, 5/16/09, and 4/24/09. Specifically you fail to wipe furniture removing the dust and cobwebs from the top, bottom, sides and back.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection report dated 4/30/09. Specifically you are failing to fill the dispensers adequately.

Actual Performance: Reference is made to the attached inspection reports dated 6/3/09. Specifically you are failing to clean and maintain the equipment by wiping down and cleaning or replacing the pads.

3. You will be given until September 28, 2009, (30 days) to demonstrate acceptable performance or your employment with organization may be terminated. During this next thirty days you are expected to meet all standards at the successful level.

4. In addition, during the next thirty days I will meet with you on a weekly basis or more often if I deem necessary. The purpose of the meetings will be to discuss your work, both completed and in progress, and assist you in organizing and prioritizing it. Because I consider you fully trained as a Housekeeper, I have not included training as part of this action. However, if you can identify and desire specific training that you believe will assist you in improving your performance, you may bring it to my attention for further consideration. In addition to our weekly meetings, I will be available to assist you, answer questions, discuss mutual areas of concern, and provide feedback on your progress.

5. If you have any problems of a personal or medical nature that you believe are impinging on your ability to perform successfully, I urge you to bring this information to my attention, as well, so that appropriate assistance may be considered.

6. You may address any questions regarding this Performance Improvement Plan you have to me directly.

Supervisor's Signature and Date:

Employee's Signature and Date:

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