The term Performance Improvement Plan or PIP carries a heavy weight in the realm of employment. It is a tool designed by the company to help employees improve their skills and abilities and enhance their performance. However, there can be certain situations when it is not just about improving performance. There comes a certain time to recognize it is your time to leave.
Certain companies are claimed to put their employees on a PIP when they have predetermined to fire them. However, you should not presume the worst. You might have a legitimately good performance but not a good relationship with your boss. If you feel you were discriminated against in the workplace, contact a PIP employment attorney today.
Signs of an unfair PIP
Unrealistic expectations
If your boss puts you on a PIP with certain goals that seem impossible to achieve, it can be an indication of an unfair performance improvement plan. A PIP that lacks objective criteria for success could be a tool for the company to push their employees out of the job rather than giving them chances to improve.
Hostile work environment
Sometimes, even if the employees work with great dedication and put in their full efforts, the boss still chooses to put them on the PIP. A manager may put their employees on a PIP as a punishment and point fingers at them in a toxic work environment. Rather than addressing the actual issue, they may put the blame on their employees.
Insufficient time and resources
A timeline that makes it impossible to achieve the objectives and goals asked by your manager is a sure sign of a bogus PIP. If you are asked to conduct 30 client meetings in a single week, while in the normal course, it would be the number of meetings conducted in a month, it is a sign of looking for a new job.
Lack of guidance
A manager who genuinely wants their employees to do good and improve their skills and abilities should always be hands-on and ready to provide support and guidance. Lack of support and poor communication is a major sign of recognizing an unfair PIP. If your boss puts you on a PIP without any prior discussion, it means they do not have your best interest at heart.
A pattern of unfair treatment
If you are facing a hostile work environment and things do not seem to work despite making complaints to your boss about the issue, it is the best time to leave that toxic workplace and regain your dignity and self-esteem.
