4 ms·

This isn't always done cynically. I don't know if I'm an outlier, but I can recall cases where I have put an employee on an improvement plan and it successfully

This isn't always done cynically. I don't know if I'm an outlier, but I can recall cases where I have put an employee on an improvement plan and it successfully led to their retention. In one case, the team member was really quite shocked to realise they were underperforming and actually quite grateful for the honest feedback. Rather than giving up they redoubled their efforts and we were all amazed at the transformation. In turn, we provided additional coaching, encouragement at the performance gains, and everybody ended up back on-track. The person in question was recently promoted. I don't particularly like managing people, and it's easy to slip into a lazy management style where you avoid confrontation, but the truth is that I've found people respect honesty and a chance to course correct.

ARandomerDude 4y ago
> the team member was really quite shocked to realise they were underperforming That's a management fail, to be honest. The first time someone hears they aren't keeping up should not be because you started paperwork on them.
- justin66 4y ago
  > The first time someone hears they aren't keeping up should not be because you started paperwork on them. Seriously. That's alarmingly bad management.
mschild 4y ago
If an employee is shocked to be put on a PIP, then something's going wrong during communication. Feedback should be a continuous process so people, managers and employee both, can make small adjustments to ensure they're in the right spot. This obviously needs trust and goodwill from both sides. For example, my annual reviews aren't so much about setting and discussing goals as it is about how the year actually went, both from a professional and personal standpoint. We talk about projects we finished or didn't, how the company and team is doing overall, and big strategic decisions made by execs that we don't really have control over but impact us in one way or another. Goals are generally set pretty frequently and are achievable. I have 1on1 with my leads every 2 weeks and we exchange pretty blunt but constructive feedback on how we are doing.
- 93po 4y ago
  10000%. If I hear a single new thing at my annual review there's a failure in communication somewhere. If it's feedback from my manager it's unacceptable. If it's feedback from a peer that's collected annually that's more understandable, but also we're all adults. If I'm making your job or life difficult, just tell me instead of narcing to my manager anonymously (this hasn't ever happened to me, but in theory).
- urbandw311er 4y ago
  Indeed: there were learnings on both sides. And more to it than I could fit into a short post.

ARandomerDude 4y ago

> the team member was really quite shocked to realise they were underperforming That's a management fail, to be honest. The first time someone hears they aren't keeping up should not be because you started paperwork on them.

justin66 4y ago
> The first time someone hears they aren't keeping up should not be because you started paperwork on them. Seriously. That's alarmingly bad management.

mschild 4y ago

If an employee is shocked to be put on a PIP, then something's going wrong during communication. Feedback should be a continuous process so people, managers and employee both, can make small adjustments to ensure they're in the right spot. This obviously needs trust and goodwill from both sides. For example, my annual reviews aren't so much about setting and discussing goals as it is about how the year actually went, both from a professional and personal standpoint. We talk about projects we finished or didn't, how the company and team is doing overall, and big strategic decisions made by execs that we don't really have control over but impact us in one way or another. Goals are generally set pretty frequently and are achievable. I have 1on1 with my leads every 2 weeks and we exchange pretty blunt but constructive feedback on how we are doing.

93po 4y ago
10000%. If I hear a single new thing at my annual review there's a failure in communication somewhere. If it's feedback from my manager it's unacceptable. If it's feedback from a peer that's collected annually that's more understandable, but also we're all adults. If I'm making your job or life difficult, just tell me instead of narcing to my manager anonymously (this hasn't ever happened to me, but in theory).
urbandw311er 4y ago
Indeed: there were learnings on both sides. And more to it than I could fit into a short post.