Performance Improvement Plan - about to be fired
This exchange comes from a question about being placed on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and the expectation of being fired. The employee described the stress of the process, feeling set up to fail, and wondering if there was anything they could do to protect themselves. The response explored options for navigating the situation, including negotiating severance, reframing the PIP, and shifting responsibility back onto management.
Question -
I'm currently on a PIP and expect to be fired in my review next week.
My boss has made my life hell since I've started it and fully convinced he is doing everything to make sure I fail.
I've been stressed to the max and now I've come to a stage of giving up as I know there is slim chance of passing.
Is there anything I can do now to protect myself? The worry of potential having no job has also really stressed me out. I've considered taking stress leave but I assume that would be an immediate failure of the PIP.
Answer -
Something just came to mind as I was reading this. If they want you gone, you'll be gone either way. The point is get a good severance, because I don't think you can protect the job. But you can see to it that you aren't negatively affected by the job loss. Which means establishing a different power dynamic.
The PIP in its intended form is meant to say here are the things you can improve upon. Ok - so try this. Find someone you can break this thing down with (and if you can't, try ChatGpt) - and identity the key areas in which they can help you.
Your manager is claiming that you have under performed at your job - but in essence means that they have underperformed in managing you. So to say, thank you for the feed back, now in order to succeed I need changes in attitude, training, environment, procedure. IDK - you tell me, would be putting the onus back on them. What would it take from everyone for you turn this around?
You've got two choices as I see it - You could wait out the inevitable, or push back and lay out a PIP of your own. Put it in writing, be as constructive and positive as you can be. If it works, super, you've saved the job. If it doesn't, you are no longer the failure here. They are. You have shown what kind of leadership skills you have under pressure. IF they can't handle it, that their problem. You can say to your coworkers, your employers, future employers, this is the kind of person I am when I receive criticism. Do this before your review. Make it the subject your of review. Take control
Really, you think I can place a PIP the other way?
I think you can them how they can help you. I think accepting full responsibility for this situation will only make you feel worse. Telling them how they can help you shows that you have thought this out, you are ready to take action. They will then need to decide if they are going to do something or let you fail on your own.
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