3 ms·

My assumption generally is that PIP is a result of "HR engineering" - it's basically a legal way to bully someone out of the company with the worst case scenari

My assumption generally is that PIP is a result of "HR engineering" - it's basically a legal way to bully someone out of the company with the worst case scenario being you maximize their productivity and burn them out right before they might've been fired anyway. There's also longstanding evidence that Amazon uses PIP's just to recapture locked RSU shares after bad financial quarters. Basically, have a bad financial quarter, just tell managers they have to stack rank and fire a few more employees than usual.

lockhouse 3y ago
You say this as though it’s some evil corporate trick. Although sometimes they are abused, these PIPs are often deserved. I work in an organization where it is very difficult to fire marginal employees and while job security is great, the poor performers really drag down everyone else’s morale. PIPs if utilized properly can be a great way to rehabilitate these employees, even if they ultimately move on to other teams.
- ToxicMegacolon 3y ago
  > PIPs if utilized properly that is a big IF Just an anecdote, but when I was at amazon I saw more undeserved pips than deserved ones. Often I was left wondering why that person was in pip but not me. From my vantage point, they did almost as much, and as good work as I did. In the end, it was the quota that had to be fulfilled and they got unlucky.
JJMcJ 3y ago
> burn them out right before they might've been fired anyway If you're offered the choice of PIP or severance, it's usually best to take the severance. > after bad financial quarters It's a typical way to lower staffing levels without an official layoff. Instead of letting bottom 5% go, make it the bottom 10%. Where "bottom" can have multiple meanings.
ogn3rd 3y ago
Unregretted attrition targets did not fluctuate by earnings in my area at AWS.

3 ms·

My assumption generally is that PIP is a result of "HR engineering" - it's basically a legal way to bully someone out of the company with the worst case scenari

by 71a54xd 3y ago

lockhouse 3y ago
You say this as though it’s some evil corporate trick. Although sometimes they are abused, these PIPs are often deserved. I work in an organization where it is very difficult to fire marginal employees and while job security is great, the poor performers really drag down everyone else’s morale. PIPs if utilized properly can be a great way to rehabilitate these employees, even if they ultimately move on to other teams.
- ToxicMegacolon 3y ago
  > PIPs if utilized properly that is a big IF Just an anecdote, but when I was at amazon I saw more undeserved pips than deserved ones. Often I was left wondering why that person was in pip but not me. From my vantage point, they did almost as much, and as good work as I did. In the end, it was the quota that had to be fulfilled and they got unlucky.
JJMcJ 3y ago
> burn them out right before they might've been fired anyway If you're offered the choice of PIP or severance, it's usually best to take the severance. > after bad financial quarters It's a typical way to lower staffing levels without an official layoff. Instead of letting bottom 5% go, make it the bottom 10%. Where "bottom" can have multiple meanings.
ogn3rd 3y ago
Unregretted attrition targets did not fluctuate by earnings in my area at AWS.