Performance Improvement Plan Template: Free Download + Complete Guide

If you’ve ever had to address poor performance formally, you know the hardest part is sitting down with a blank document and figuring out what to actually write. A vague improvement plan helps no one. A well-structured one gives the underperforming employee a genuine path forward and gives the company a defensible, documented process.

In this article, I’ll give you a free, ready-to-use performance improvement plan template with a filled-in example, field-by-field instructions, and variations by role and timeline — so you can open it, adapt it, and use it today.

What a complete performance improvement plan template includes

An effective performance improvement plan template has seven sections. Each one has a specific job. Together they bridge the gap between identifying a performance challenge and actually resolving it — for both the employee and the company.

1. Employee information: Who, what role, which manager, when it starts
2. Introduction: Frames the plan as a support tool, not a punishment
3. Performance issue statement: The specific, factual performance gap between current behavior and expected standards
4. Improvement goals: SMART goals with measurable objectives and clear timelines
5. Action steps and resources: The roadmap and the employee development support the company’s commitment to
6. Check-in schedule: How you track employees’ progress at regular intervals and document it
7. Outcome criteria: What success, extension, and escalation look like, defined against company expectations before the plan starts
8. Signatures: Confirmation that both sides understand the performance plan and their obligations going forward

The employee information block and signature section are straightforward: name, role, manager, dates, and signature. The sections below require thought.

Section 1: How to write the performance issue statement

This is the section most managers get wrong and the one that matters most if the PIP is ever reviewed by HR, legal, or a tribunal.

The goal is to describe a specific performance issue using observable behavior and documented results. Not opinions, character assessments, or vague performance concerns like “doesn’t seem engaged” or “has a bad attitude.” Those are unenforceable and, in a formal document, potentially discriminatory.

Every sentence in this section should be something you could prove with a record.

What to include:

• The performance area affected (quality of work, deadline management, communication, sales targets, etc.)
• A clear description of the performance gap: the distance between what the employee is currently doing and the expected standard for the role
• Specific evidence: dates, numbers, documented outcomes
• A record of prior feedback already given: this proves the specific performance issue isn’t new and that informal coaching was already attempted

Bad vs. good:

❌ “Alex has a poor attitude and doesn’t seem motivated to improve.”

✅ “Alex missed 3 of 4 project deadlines in Q3, averaging 6 days late per delivery. This falls below the performance standard for this role, which requires on-time delivery in 90% of cases. Verbal feedback was given on [date] and again on [date]. No sustained improvement in employees’ performance has been documented.”

The difference matters practically and legally. The first is an opinion. The second is a specific employee performance issue tied to evidence, a performance standard, and a prior feedback trail.

Rules for this section:

• One bullet per distinct performance concern. Don’t combine multiple issues into one paragraph
• Stick to behavior and output, not personality or intent
• Reference your company’s performance standards or job description where possible. This anchors the underperformance to an objective benchmark, not just the manager’s judgment
• Keep medical, personal, or protected information out entirely; those require separate handling

One thing most managers skip: The prior feedback log. Even two lines (“Verbal coaching on [date]: discussed missed Q2 deadlines. Written follow-up sent on [date].”) prove the PIP is a structured escalation, not a first response. Without it, the whole plan looks reactive.

Section 2: How to set SMART improvement goals

If the performance issue statement defines the problem, the improvement goals define what solving it looks like. This is where most PIPs either become too vague to be useful or too ambitious to be fair.

Set a maximum of 2 to 4 measurable goals. More than that, the action plan becomes impossible to track, and signals to the underperforming employee that the plan was designed to overwhelm, not support.

Every improvement goal must be SMART:

Examples by role:

Customer support:

• “Achieve a CSAT score of 85% or above for 6 consecutive weeks, measured via post-ticket survey data.”
• “Respond to all Tier 1 tickets within 4 hours, tracked in the support platform dashboard.”

Operations/admin:

• “Submit weekly status reports every Monday by 9 am for the duration of the PIP, with zero missed submissions.”
• “Reduce data entry error rate to below 2%, measured against weekly quality audits.”

Sales:

• “Achieve at least 85% of monthly sales quota in Month 1, measured via CRM pipeline report.”
• “Complete 15 qualified outreach calls per week, tracked in CRM call log submitted every Friday.”

Management/team lead:

• “Hold documented team standup every Tuesday and Thursday, with a written summary shared in Slack within 1 hour.”
• “Complete 1:1s with all direct reports at least every 2 weeks, confirmed via calendar records.”

One thing that separates a good PIP from a bad one: Escalating targets. Instead of demanding 100% from Day 1, set a ramp: 70% of standard in Month 1, 85% in Month 2, and 100% by Month 3.

This is fairer, more achievable, and shows the company understands that performance improvement takes time. It also makes employees’ progress visible: both sides can see movement, which keeps engagement high instead of triggering defeat.

What to avoid:

• Behavioral performance goals without observable evidence (“be more proactive,” “show initiative”)
• Goals that copy-paste from another employee’s PIP. Performance standards and job expectations differ by role
• More than one performance area per measurable objective. Keep each goal clean and independently trackable

Section 3: How to write the action steps and resources

This is the section that determines whether your performance improvement plan is genuine or a formality. And it’s the section most managers rush through.

Think of action steps and resources as the employee development portion of the PIP. For every performance goal set in Section 2, there should be a corresponding answer to the question: what will actually help this person get there?

If you list improvement goals without listing support, you’re not running an improvement plan — you’re documenting a countdown. That’s unfair to the underperforming employee and legally risky for the company if the outcome is challenged.

The section has two parts:

Part 1: Employee action steps: What the employee commits to doing. Specific, dated, and directly tied to each performance goal. Examples:

• Complete [specific training course] by [date]
• Shadow [senior colleague] on [X] client calls in Weeks 1–2
• Submit weekly progress log using the template provided, every [day] by [time]
• Attend [coaching session/workshop] on [date]

Part 2: Company support: What the manager and company commit to providing.

One rule: for every performance goal in Section 2, there should be at least one corresponding resource in Section 3. If you can’t identify what would help the employee reach a specific goal, the root cause may not be a skill or behavior issue, and a PIP may not be the right tool.

Section 4: How to structure the check-in schedule

Regular check-ins are what separate a performance plan that works from one that gets filed and forgotten. The template is the beginning, the check-ins are where actual improvement happens.

How often: biweekly for most 60–90 day plans; weekly for 30-day plans or urgent performance issues.

What each check-in should cover:

1. Review of employees’ progress against each measurable goal since the last meeting
2. Any blockers or gaps in Section 3 support what’s still missing
3. Updated documentation: what improved, what didn’t, any course corrections agreed on
4. Clear next steps before the next check-in

The right timeline for the improvement plan itself:

Avoid setting a 30-day timeline for performance challenges that realistically require skill development. It makes the plan look punitive rather than genuine, and gives the employee almost no time to demonstrate real progress.

What to document at every check-in: a short written summary covering what was discussed, what progress was made, whether each improvement goal is on track, and what the next steps are. Both parties receive a copy. This protects the company if the outcome is disputed — and protects the employee from a retroactive rewriting of events.

Section 5: How to write the outcome criteria

This is the section most PIP templates leave blank. It’s also the most important one.

If you don’t define what success looks like before the plan starts, the outcome becomes a judgment call at the end, which is unfair to the employee and legally risky for the company. 

The employee doesn’t know what they’re working toward. The manager doesn’t have an objective standard to assess against. And if escalation follows, there’s no documentation showing the performance expectations were clearly communicated upfront.

Write three scenarios, all defined before both parties sign:

1. Successful completion: Define exactly what “met” means for each improvement goal. For example: “All three performance goals achieved by [end date], with no more than one minor variance in the final two weeks.” When the employee reaches the expected standard, document it formally, close the plan, and reconnect them to regular performance management. Acknowledging completion matters. It rebuilds trust and signals that the effort was seen.
2. Extension: Define what “meaningful progress but incomplete” looks like and what happens next. For example: “Month 1 targets met, but Month 2 targets narrowly missed. Plan extended by 30 days with revised measurable objectives of [X].” Extension is a fair response to a genuine effort that needs more time.
3. Escalation: Define the threshold clearly and in plain language. “If performance expectations have not been met by [end date] despite the support outlined in Section 3, the following steps may be taken: [role reassignment/demotion/termination], subject to company policy and applicable employment law.” This is transparency. Every employee deserves to know how the process ends before it begins.

Download the performance improvement plan template

The complete PIP template — including all sections with placeholder text is available as a free download in PDF format.

Download the PIP Template (PDF)

Use the guidance above to fill in each section. Get both signatures before the plan starts — not after.

Completed performance improvement plan example

Here is how a finished plan looks in practice — a specific performance improvement plan example based on a realistic scenario, with every key section filled in.

Scenario: A customer success manager has consistently missed renewal targets for three consecutive quarters, falling short of the performance standards for the role. Two prior verbal warnings have been given with no sustained change in the employee’s performance.

• Employee: Jordan Lee 
• Role: Customer Success Manager 
• Manager: Sam Rivera 
• HR Rep: [Name] 
• Duration: 60 days

Performance issue statement:

Jordan has achieved 61%, 58%, and 54% of quarterly renewal targets in Q1, Q2, and Q3, respectively. The expected standard for this role is 85% of the quarterly renewal quota, a company expectation that applies to all CSMs at this level. 

This specific employee performance issue has persisted across three consecutive quarters despite additional coaching. Prior verbal feedback was provided on [date]; a written summary was shared on [date]. No sustained improvement in employees’ performance has been documented.

Improvement goals:

Action steps and resources:

Employee commits to:

• Complete internal Renewal Playbook training (2 hours, LMS) by the end of Week 1
• Shadow senior CSM [Name] on 3 renewal calls in Weeks 1–2, with a written reflection submitted after each call
• Submit a weekly pipeline review every Monday by 9 am using the template provided

Company commits to:

• Manager biweekly 1:1 (30 min) with a structured agenda shared 24 hours in advance; notes documented and shared after each session
• Access to renewal call recording library in [tool], enabled by [date]
• Dedicated Slack channel for questions between check-ins, monitored by the manager daily

Check-in schedule:

Outcome criteria:

• Successful completion = 90% of renewal quota met in Month 2, zero missed QBRs, and all weekly pipeline reports submitted on time. 
• Extension = Month 1 goal met, but Month 2 target narrowly missed — 30-day extension with revised 95% target and weekly check-ins. 
• Escalation = performance expectations not met and improvement goals not achieved by [end date] despite documented support — HR to review next steps in accordance with company policy.

PIP template variations by scenario

Not every performance challenge is the same. These four variations adapt the standard structure to specific situations. The seven core sections remain in each; only the content, timeline, and performance expectations shift.

30-day PIP template

Use when the performance issue is clear-cut and narrow: attendance, a single recurring deadline behavior, or a specific compliance requirement. The performance gap is small, and the expected standard is simple to define.

Key adjustments:

• Section 1: One specific performance issue only; don’t combine multiple performance concerns
• Section 2: 1–2 measurable goals maximum, measured weekly
• Section 4: Weekly check-ins to track employees’ progress more tightly
• Section 5: No extension clause — plan ends with a defined outcome

Sample improvement goal: “Submit all weekly reports by Friday, 5 pm, for all four weeks of the plan. Zero missed submissions acceptable. Tracked via [system], reviewed every Monday.”

90-day PIP template

Use when the employee performance issue involves a skill deficit, a complex role, or situations in which unclear job expectations or external factors contributed to underperformance.

Key adjustments:

• Section 1: Include a root cause paragraph: what contributed to the performance gap, and whether unclear expectations or insufficient support played a role
• Section 2: Milestone-based measurable goals with escalating targets (70% Month 1 → 85% Month 2 → 100% Month 3)
• Section 3: Include a formal training or employee development plan component with named courses and completion dates
• Section 4: Formal midpoint review at Day 45 in addition to regular biweekly check-ins
• Section 5: Explicit extension clause of up to 30 days for genuine but incomplete progress

Remote employee PIP template

Use when in-person observation of employee performance isn’t possible, and the manager has limited visibility into day-to-day work.

Additional fields to add:

• Communication expectations as a formal job expectation: response time windows, required formats (video vs. async), and availability standards during working hours
• Deliverable-based measurable objectives only. Behavioral goals don’t work when behavior can’t be directly observed
• Platform transparency: specify exactly which tools will be used to track progress

Sample goal: “Submit end-of-day status update in [project tool] by 5 pm local time, every working day. Format: tasks completed, blockers, next-day priority. No more than 2 missed updates per week.”

Sales role PIP template

Use when poor performance is primarily metric-based: quota attainment, pipeline activity, and conversion rates. This is the clearest scenario for a PIP because performance standards are already quantified.

Key adjustments:

• Section 1: Include a 3-month quota attainment history with percentages to establish the performance gap objectively
• Section 2: CRM-verifiable metrics only, no subjective performance goals
• Section 4: Pull CRM data at every check-in, not just at formal review points

Sample measurable goals:

5 common mistakes when filling in a PIP template

These are the most common PIP template mistakes I see:

1. Leaving outcome criteria blank
   If the expected standard for success isn’t defined before the plan starts, the outcome becomes a judgment call, which is unfair to the employee and legally risky for the company. Fill Section 5 before both parties sign, not after.
2. Writing improvement goals without numbers.
   “Improve communication” is not a measurable goal. “Respond to all internal messages within 4 business hours” is. Every performance goal needs a number, a frequency, or a specific observable behavior to track progress against. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
3. Using identical goals for every underperforming employee.
   A sales rep’s PIP looks nothing like a project manager’s. Performance standards and job expectations differ by role; the structure of the template stays consistent, the content must reflect the specific performance issue and the specific person.
4. Skipping the resources section
   An action plan without documented support undermines the legitimacy of any subsequent outcome decision. An effective performance improvement plan is a mutual commitment: the employee commits to improving, the company commits to supporting that improvement with real resources.
5. Starting the PIP without documenting prior feedback
   If you can’t show that coaching and feedback were already given around this specific employee performance issue, the PIP looks like a first response rather than a structured escalation. Two lines in the prior feedback field can be the difference between a defensible process and a disputed one.

How Thrivea supports PIP tracking after the plan is signed

A template gets the performance improvement plan started. What happens over the next 30–90 days determines whether it works.

Once a plan is active, the operational challenges begin: check-ins are missed, notes aren’t written down, progress toward improvement goals isn’t tracked consistently, and the final outcome review happens without clear documentation to support it. Most PIPs fail due to execution.

Thrivea’s Performance Management module handles this systematically:

• Goal dashboards give managers and employees a real-time view of progress against each measurable objective; no spreadsheets, no lost notes, no end-of-plan surprises
• Automated check-in reminders ensure scheduled reviews don’t slip through in busy weeks, keeping the action plan on track from Week 1 through the final review
• 360° feedback can be attached to active review cycles, providing balanced input from peers and direct reports rather than relying solely on the manager’s observation of employee performance
• Audit-ready documentation stores every check-in note, goal update, and outcome decision tied to the employee’s profile. If the performance management process is ever questioned, the complete record is there
• Customizable review cycle templates are reusable across teams, so once you’ve built a PIP review format aligned to your performance standards, it rolls out consistently every time

Because Thrivea‘s performance tools run on top of Core HR, which already holds employee records, org structures, and document history, every PIP lives in full context. You always see the complete picture: past performance reviews, previous feedback, current improvement goals, and active plan status.

Start for free. Core HR is free forever. Performance Management is a paid add-on with a free trial; no credit card required. Book a demo to see how Thrivea structures the full PIP tracking process end-to-end.

Performance Improvement Plan Template FAQs

What should a performance improvement plan template include? 

An effective PIP template needs employee information, a performance issue statement, SMART improvement goals with measurable outcomes, action steps and resources, a check-in schedule to track employees’ progress, outcome criteria defining the expected standard for success, escalation, and signatures. All sections must be completed before both parties sign.

What is the difference between a 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day PIP? 

Use 30 days for a single, clear-cut performance issue. Use 60 days for most standard employee performance issues. Use 90 days when the performance gap involves a skill deficit or when a formal employee development component is needed.

How do you write a performance issue statement for a PIP? 

Describe the specific performance issue using observable behavior and documented results, not opinions or vague performance concerns. State the performance gap, the expected standard, and what prior feedback was given. Every claim should be traceable to a date, a metric, or a record.

How many goals should a performance improvement plan have? 

2 to 4 measurable goals. Each improvement goal must include a clear measurable outcome: a number, a frequency, or an observable result. More than 4 performance goals make the plan unrealistic and set the underperforming employee up to fail.

What happens at the end of a performance improvement plan?

Three outcomes, all defined in the outcome criteria before the plan starts: successful completion (all performance goals met), extension (meaningful progress but goals partially unmet; plan continues with revised milestones), or escalation (performance expectations not reached despite support provided; HR reviews next steps).