Draft a performance improvement plan for [EMPLOYEE ROLE] based only on documented performance information and [COMPANY POLICY]. The plan must be fair, specific, job-related, and suitable for HR review. Do not invent incidents, motives, comparators, warnings, customer feedback, quotas, protected-class information, or legal conclusions. Inputs - Role, essential responsibilities, and expected standard: [ROLE AND STANDARDS] - Documented performance gaps and evidence: [PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE] - Prior feedback, support, and dates: [PRIOR FEEDBACK] - Improvement period and available support: [TIMELINE AND SUPPORT] - Relevant policies, process requirements, and decision maker: [COMPANY POLICY]
Produce a formal draft with these sections: 1. Purpose and scope, stating that the plan addresses performance rather than assumptions about intent or personality. 2. A table of no more than three priority gaps. For each, include the required standard, dated factual examples, measurable improvement target, measurement source, and review cadence. 3. Employer support: training, documented examples, manager availability, tools, or accommodations process where relevant. Do not ask for medical details; direct accommodation requests to the established process. 4. Employee responsibilities and a 30/60/90-day or supplied review schedule. 5. Consequences language that mirrors the supplied policy, without guaranteeing a result. 6. Manager documentation checklist and a neutral meeting script of 120 words or fewer. Set goals the employee can influence. Avoid subjective terms such as “improve attitude,” “be more proactive,” or “fit the culture” unless translated into specific observable work behaviors and standards. Note any evidence gap, inconsistent past treatment, unrealistic target, workload dependency, or policy conflict for HR to resolve. Before answering, check that each target is measurable, role-related, and supported by a cited input. Check that the plan contains support as well as expectations. Ask up to three clarifying questions only if a required input is missing.
Fill in
| Placeholder | What to enter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| [EMPLOYEE ROLE] | State the employee's job title and work context without unnecessary personal details. | Accounts payable specialist on a five-person finance operations team. |
| [ROLE AND STANDARDS] | List essential duties, expected quality, volume, timeliness, and behavior standards. | Process approved invoices within five business days; maintain required vendor documentation; respond to internal ticket requests within two business days. |
| [PERFORMANCE EVIDENCE] | Provide dated, factual examples and records showing the performance gaps. | April and May dashboard shows 18 invoices older than five business days; three vendor files lacked required tax forms; two tickets exceeded response standard. |
| [PRIOR FEEDBACK] | List prior conversations, written feedback, coaching, and the support already offered. | Manager discussed backlog on May 6 and May 20; provided a queue-prioritization guide and weekly check-ins. |
| [TIMELINE AND SUPPORT] | State the plan length, review dates, manager support, training, and available resources. | 60-day plan, reviews at days 15, 30, 45, and 60; manager can provide twice-weekly queue reviews and system refresher training. |
| [COMPANY POLICY] | Paste applicable HR policy, union requirements, approval steps, and consequence language. | HR-approved PIP template required; plan may lead to further action up to and including termination; employees may request accommodations through HR. |
How to use
- Have HR or the designated people partner confirm that a PIP is appropriate before using the prompt.
- Paste dated evidence and the actual standard, not conclusions about effort or attitude.
- Check every target against the employee's control, workload, and measurement source before issuing the plan.
- Follow up with: “Rewrite the targets as a 60-day table using the exact dashboard fields we will review.”
Variations
Coaching plan
Use before formal performance action is warranted.
Create a 30-day coaching plan for [ROLE] addressing [DOCUMENTED GAP]. Use [EXPECTED STANDARD], [EVIDENCE], and [AVAILABLE SUPPORT]. Produce weekly objectives, manager check-in questions, practice or training activities, and objective progress measures. Keep the tone developmental and do not imply formal discipline or consequences. Flag if the evidence suggests a policy, workload, training, or accommodation issue that should be addressed first.
PIP meeting script
Use to prepare a manager for the initial conversation.
Draft a manager script for presenting a performance improvement plan to [ROLE] about [DOCUMENTED PERFORMANCE GAPS]. Use [POLICY LANGUAGE] and [SUPPORT OFFERED]. Keep it under 250 words and include: purpose, factual examples, expectations, support, review schedule, opportunity for questions, and accommodation-process language. Avoid legal conclusions, promises, and statements about attitude or intent. Flag wording that could be read as retaliatory or inconsistent.
Progress review
Use at a scheduled PIP checkpoint.
Prepare a neutral progress-review summary for [ROLE] at day [REVIEW DAY] of a performance plan. Compare [CURRENT RESULTS] against [PIP TARGETS] and note [SUPPORT PROVIDED]. Produce a fact table, achievements, remaining gaps, next-period actions, and questions for HR. Do not declare the plan passed or failed unless [COMPANY POLICY] authorizes that decision. Flag missing data or targets affected by factors outside the employee's control.
Tips
- Use records that could be shown to the employee, such as dashboards, quality audits, and dated work samples, rather than recollections alone.
- Limit the plan to the few performance gaps that materially affect the role; an exhaustive list makes priorities unclear.
- Define exactly where each measure comes from and who will review it, so the process does not drift into subjective judgment.
- Run proposed targets through HR when work allocation, leave, disability accommodation, protected activity, or inconsistent precedent may be involved.
FAQ
Can AI write a PIP from manager notes?
It can organize factual notes into a draft, but HR should validate the evidence, policy language, consistency, and legal risk before the plan is issued.
How many goals should a PIP have?
Usually two or three priority goals are more workable than a long list. Each needs a measurable standard, evidence source, support, and review date.
Should a PIP include consequences?
It should state the consequences approved by company policy without promising a particular outcome. Use the organization’s existing language where required.