Real-world examples of performance improvement plan examples that actually work

Why start with real examples of performance improvement plan examples?

Most people don’t need theory; they need to see the words on the page. When HR leaders and managers search for the best examples of performance improvement plan examples, what they really want is:

• The exact kind of goals to set
• How specific the expectations should be
• What a realistic timeline looks like
• How to balance accountability with support

And there’s another 2024 reality: employees are far more sensitive to how performance conversations are handled. With hybrid work, burnout, and higher expectations around psychological safety, a badly written PIP can tank morale or even push good people out.

So instead of abstract advice, let’s walk through real examples of performance improvement plan examples you can adapt today.

Example of a performance improvement plan for missed deadlines (project specialist)

Situation: A project specialist in a marketing team is regularly missing deadlines, causing campaign delays and stress for colleagues.

Performance gap (current state):
The employee has missed 5 of the last 8 project deadlines, turned in 3 deliverables with incomplete information, and has not consistently updated the project management tool.

Goal (desired state):
Deliver projects on time with accurate information and consistent communication with stakeholders.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 60 days, you are expected to meet at least 90% of your agreed-upon deadlines. For all assigned projects, tasks must be entered and updated in Asana within 24 hours of assignment and within 24 hours of any change in status. You will attend a weekly 30-minute check-in with your manager every Tuesday to review upcoming deadlines, identify risks, and request support.

Support and resources:

• Training on time management and task prioritization (2-hour internal workshop)
• Shadowing a senior project specialist for one full project cycle
• Written checklist for project handoffs

Measurement:

• On-time completion rate
• Number of incomplete or reworked deliverables
• Consistency of Asana updates

This is one of the best examples of performance improvement plan examples for deadline issues because it’s specific, measurable, and paired with real support instead of vague “do better” language.

Example of a performance improvement plan for low sales performance

Situation: A sales representative has been below quota for three consecutive quarters.

Performance gap:
The rep is averaging 60% of their quarterly target, with a low number of outbound prospecting calls and inconsistent follow-up.

Goal:
Achieve at least 90% of sales quota over the next quarter while building a healthier pipeline.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 90 days, you are expected to increase your closed-won revenue to at least 90% of your individual quota. Each week, you will complete a minimum of 40 outbound prospecting calls and log all activity in the CRM. You will maintain a pipeline value of at least 3x your monthly quota. You will attend weekly 1:1 coaching sessions focused on call preparation, objection handling, and closing techniques.

Support and resources:

• Ride-alongs with a top-performing rep twice per month
• Access to recorded call libraries and scripts
• Coaching on CRM usage and pipeline management

Measurement:

• Weekly call volume and quality (spot-checked via recordings)
• Pipeline value and stage progression
• Monthly revenue against target

Among the real examples of performance improvement plan examples you’ll see online, this one stands out because it ties activity metrics (calls, pipeline) directly to outcomes (revenue), which is how most modern sales organizations operate.

Example of a performance improvement plan for customer service quality

Situation: A customer service agent has high handle times and lower-than-average satisfaction scores.

Performance gap:
Average handle time (AHT) is 20% higher than the team average. Customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores are at 3.6/5 versus the team average of 4.4/5.

Goal:
Improve service quality and efficiency while maintaining empathy and professionalism.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 45 days, you are expected to maintain an average handle time no more than 5% above the team average while raising your CSAT score to at least 4.2/5. You will follow the approved call flow in at least 90% of monitored calls and use the knowledge base for accurate information. You will participate in two coaching sessions per week to review call recordings and practice active listening and de-escalation techniques.

Support and resources:

• Refresher training on the knowledge base and call flow
• Side-by-side sessions with a senior agent
• Access to stress management resources if burnout is a factor (for example, many employers reference materials like those from the National Institute of Mental Health)

Measurement:

• AHT trends over the 45-day period
• CSAT scores by week
• Quality assurance (QA) monitoring scores

This is an example of a performance improvement plan that balances speed with quality, which is a core tension in modern customer support teams.

Example of a performance improvement plan for remote work communication

Situation: A fully remote employee often goes silent, misses Slack messages, and doesn’t respond to emails promptly, causing confusion and delays.

Performance gap:
Messages go unanswered for hours during core working time. The employee frequently misses updates in project channels and joins meetings unprepared.

Goal:
Increase reliability and responsiveness in a distributed team environment.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 30 days, you are expected to respond to Slack messages and emails from your manager and project teammates within 2 business hours during your scheduled workday. You will review all project channels at the start and end of each day and confirm key action items in writing. You will join all scheduled meetings on time, with the agenda reviewed and relevant documents open. You will attend a weekly 1:1 with your manager to review communication expectations and workload.

Support and resources:

• Training on remote work best practices and digital communication norms
• Calendar blocking guidance for focus time vs. collaboration time
• Agreement on clear working hours and status indicators

Measurement:

• Response time during core hours
• Fewer missed updates or repeated questions
• Feedback from teammates on reliability

In 2024–2025, as hybrid and remote models stabilize, examples of performance improvement plan examples like this one are becoming more common. The focus isn’t on physical presence but on predictable, visible collaboration.

Example of a performance improvement plan for a new manager

Situation: A newly promoted manager struggles with feedback conversations and team organization. Employee engagement scores are dropping.

Performance gap:
Team members report unclear priorities, inconsistent 1:1s, and limited feedback. Deadlines are slipping because responsibilities are not clearly assigned.

Goal:
Strengthen core management skills: communication, delegation, and feedback.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 90 days, you are expected to hold biweekly 1:1 meetings with each direct report and document agreed-upon action items. You will publish a clear set of priorities and responsibilities for your team and review them in a team meeting at least once per month. You will request and document feedback from your manager and at least three team members on your communication and clarity. You will complete the company’s management training modules and attend one external workshop on feedback skills.

Support and resources:

• Formal leadership training (internal or external)
• Mentoring from a senior manager
• Templates for 1:1s and team meeting agendas

Measurement:

• Completion of 1:1s and training
• Improvement in short pulse surveys or check-in feedback
• Reduction in missed deadlines due to unclear ownership

For organizations that invest in leadership development, this is one of the better real examples of performance improvement plan examples because it treats the manager as a learner, not just a problem.

Example of a performance improvement plan for documentation and accuracy (finance/operations)

Situation: An operations analyst is making frequent data entry errors that affect reporting and financial decisions.

Performance gap:
Error rate is 3–4 times higher than peers. Several errors required reissuing reports and re-running analyses.

Goal:
Improve accuracy and attention to detail in financial and operational documentation.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 60 days, you are expected to reduce your documented error rate to no more than 1 error per 200 data entries, as verified by weekly spot checks. You will follow the standardized checklist for every report and have a peer review your work before final submission for all high-impact reports. You will complete training on our data validation processes and demonstrate correct use in a live exercise with your manager.

Support and resources:

• Training on data validation and quality control
• Access to checklists and templates for recurring tasks
• Short daily focus blocks scheduled for error-prone work

Measurement:

• Error rate by week
• Rework required due to inaccuracies
• Completion of training and checklist usage

For roles that deal with sensitive or regulated data, examples of performance improvement plan examples like this help show regulators and auditors that you take accuracy and risk management seriously.

Example of a performance improvement plan for behavior and professionalism

Situation: A technically strong employee is frequently rude in meetings, dismissive of colleagues, and resistant to feedback.

Performance gap:
Multiple complaints about tone and dismissive comments. The employee interrupts others and has ignored previous informal coaching.

Goal:
Demonstrate consistent professional behavior and respectful collaboration.

Sample PIP language:

Over the next 60 days, you are expected to demonstrate professional and respectful behavior in all interactions. This includes allowing others to finish speaking, avoiding raised voices or dismissive comments, and responding to feedback without sarcasm or personal attacks. You will attend a training session on respectful workplace communication and complete a follow-up reflection with your manager. Any further substantiated reports of unprofessional behavior during this period may result in additional disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Support and resources:

• Training on respectful workplace behavior and communication
• Coaching or counseling support if personal stress is a factor (many employers point employees to resources like the U.S. Office of Personnel Management guidance on Employee Assistance Programs)
• Clear behavioral expectations in writing

Measurement:

• Reduction or elimination of complaints
• Manager observation and feedback
• Participation in training and reflection activities

Behavioral issues are where many managers freeze. Having examples of performance improvement plan examples like this makes it easier to write language that’s specific and fair instead of vague (“just be nicer”).

How to structure the best examples of performance improvement plan examples

When you look across all of these scenarios, the pattern is pretty consistent. The best examples of performance improvement plan examples usually include:

A clear performance gap.
Describe what’s happening now in observable, factual terms: missed deadlines, low scores, complaints, error rates. Avoid personality labels.

A specific goal.
Translate “do better” into numbers, behaviors, or deliverables. For instance, “respond within 2 hours during core work time” is far more useful than “be more responsive.”

A realistic timeline.
Most PIPs run 30, 45, 60, or 90 days. Shorter for simpler issues; longer when skills development is needed.

Support, not just pressure.
Modern HR guidance, including research from organizations like Harvard Business School on coaching and performance, emphasizes that people improve faster when they feel supported. That means training, mentoring, job aids, and regular check-ins.

Clear consequences.
You don’t have to be harsh, but you do need to be honest: if expectations aren’t met, what happens next?

When you’re writing your own plan, keep one of these real examples of performance improvement plan examples open and mirror the structure, then adjust the details to your organization, policies, and culture.

2024–2025 trends to reflect in your performance improvement plans

If your PIP templates haven’t been touched since pre-pandemic days, they probably miss a few modern realities:

Hybrid and remote work norms.
Expectations around responsiveness, availability, and documentation look different when people aren’t all in the same building. That’s why the remote communication PIP example above focuses on written updates and response times instead of “being at your desk.”

Burnout and mental health awareness.
Research and guidance from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlight the impact of stress and mental health on performance. While a PIP is not therapy, it should acknowledge workload and provide access to support where appropriate.

Skills-based performance.
More employers are shifting from job titles to skills. PIPs are evolving too, focusing on specific skills (communication, data literacy, collaboration) rather than only outputs.

Data-informed expectations.
Instead of “gut feel,” managers are using dashboards and analytics to set realistic targets and track improvement over time.

Building these trends into your own examples of performance improvement plan examples makes them feel fair, current, and aligned with how people actually work now.

FAQ: Common questions about performance improvement plan examples

What is an example of a fair performance improvement plan timeline?
For a straightforward issue like missed deadlines or low responsiveness, 30–45 days is common. For deeper skill-building, like leadership or complex technical skills, 60–90 days is more realistic. The real examples of performance improvement plan examples above use a mix of 30, 45, 60, and 90 days depending on the issue.

Do employees ever successfully complete PIPs, or are they just a step toward termination?
Yes, plenty of employees complete PIPs and go on to thrive. The difference is usually whether the plan includes real support (training, coaching, check-ins) and clear, achievable goals. If every PIP in your organization ends in termination, the problem may be how plans are written and when they’re started.

What are some examples of support to include in a PIP?
Real examples of performance improvement plan examples often include: training sessions, job aids (like checklists), mentoring, shadowing high performers, regular 1:1s, and access to mental health or employee assistance resources. The key is to match the support to the specific performance gap.

How detailed should the goals be in a performance improvement plan?
Specific enough that a neutral third party could say whether the goal was met. Instead of “improve communication,” say “respond to messages within 2 hours during core working time” or “hold biweekly 1:1s with each direct report and document action items.”

Can I reuse an example of a performance improvement plan for different employees?
You can reuse the structure, but you should always customize the details: dates, metrics, support, and context. Copy-paste PIPs tend to feel generic and unfair. Use the best examples of performance improvement plan examples as a starting point, then adjust them so they reflect the person’s actual role, workload, and history.

If you keep these real-world scenarios handy, you’ll never have to start from a blank page again. Instead, you can borrow from these examples of performance improvement plan examples, adapt them to your culture and policies, and use them as genuine development tools instead of last-ditch warnings.