The performance aspects of managing a more digital workforce have only compounded how managers manage. If an employee is underperforming and they’re not in the office, it fosters an even more significant disconnect between the manager and employee. Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) are a structured approach to providing underperforming remote employees with the additional guidance they may require, coupled with strict direction, opportunities, and goals to get back on track.
While PIPs used to be done face-to-face in an office setting, the transformation to remote work complicates this process. Since managers and HR cannot stumble upon their employees in the office or have a casual conversation or impromptu training, the remote PIP needs to be carefully constructed as if attempting to bridge the virtual gap while still holding people accountable. This article will give suggestions to anyone in a managerial, HR, or ownership position to create successful Performance Improvement Plans under a remote employment situation.
What Is a Performance Improvement Plan?
A PIP is a standardized, documented process to help underperforming employees with specific shortcomings, necessary training and development, and positions and expectations over a specified duration. Whereas disciplinary action concerns what someone has done incorrectly, a performance improvement plan, when implemented for the right reasons, helps focus on the future with essential, purposeful direction to keep an employee on the path to success.
There are many advantages to the employee and the business when a performance improvement plan is executed properly. This includes enhanced clarity of expectations, targeted achievement, directional achievement toward improvement, documentation of attempts to help, assessment-specific durations, and justification that the business cares enough to expend this much energy to positively adjust its training qualities.
PIPs have taken on a bad reputation as the last-ditch effort before termination. This undermines the PIP as a true beneficial growth opportunity. Therefore, when a company functions in a remote capacity, the purpose and execution of a PIP must be that much clearer in writing, that it is for betterment and not punishment.
Why PIPs Are Different for Remote Workers
There are many reasons why remote work should be taken into consideration when creating performance improvement plans. Outlining these reasons will support the effort and intervention.
Communication Issues
It’s easier to discuss performance when there are nonverbal cues, real-time reactions, and immediate opportunities to clarify potentially offensive commentary. None of this is as easily done in a remote setting. Unfortunately, the clarity of in-person discussions is diminished through text, video chats can come off harsher than an in-office casual exchange, and people responding across time zones may impede the response time for crucial feedback.
Limited Visibility
Managers have less visibility on a remote employee’s daily execution, challenges, and achievements. This limited perspective makes it even harder to assess what’s going wrong, or what’s being simultaneously fixed. Are they not delivering on time because they don’t have the technical skills, or do they not know how to manage their time? Are they unavailable due to distractions in their home life that impede productivity?
According to SHRM, many performance issues in a remote setting occur due to miscommunication rather than inability, which is why virtual PIPs need a great deal of paperwork and expectations setting.
Isolation Factors
Employees already feeling performance pressure while working from home feel isolated. Without informal peer support systems easily in place within a corporate office setting, these impressionable factors only add to the burden being felt, creating more barriers to correction.
Technology and Resource Access
Technological shortcomings, unreliable Wi-Fi, and resource availability affect remote work significantly. If you have an underperforming employee, it’s not always because they’re not doing their job; technology failures beyond their control could limit what can be accomplished in a day.
How to Create a Performance Improvement Plan Remote
Creating a performance improvement plan remotely requires strategic execution and planning. The steps below allow you to create a standardized plan while considering the nuances of managing someone from a distance but keeping the focus on resolution.
Step 1: Gather all information
Before initiating a PIP, gather all information regarding performance concerns. This entails specifics and dates of performance lapses and implications for the organization or team; performance evaluations against benchmarks anticipated with applicable dates; a timeline of provided feedback or remediation efforts; input from peers or customers (where appropriate and confidential); and any other applicable appendices; and situational extremes, if the team member was sick or dealing with a family matter, etc. This comprehensive approach protects you when re-assessing the situation with context beyond one-off examples and ensures you don’t jump to conclusions based on isolated instances.
Step 2: Set up a video conference
Always begin a remote PIP with a video conference. This is proper face-to-face communication to start, indicating that the conversation is important, that non-verbal cues can be assessed more easily, and the likelihood of empathy is better facilitated through human connection. During the actual meeting, walk through necessary information regarding performance issues, remain neutral but candid with your observations, allow them to respond and acknowledge truth where appropriate, convey your intentions of wanting them to succeed and improve, articulate the PIP process as more of an intervention gesture than a precursor to termination, and provide next steps with deadlines.
Step 3: Collaboratively develop the improvement plan
The most successful PIPs are a collaborative effort from the employee instead of a one-size-fits-all document given without discussion ahead of time. After this meeting, be sure to take the time to construct a plan together that includes specific and clear performance expectations using the SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), how each expectation will be measured for success, resources available to the employee, how often and in what environment you will meet to check in with each other, how long the overall improvement period will be with milestones along the way, and what will happen if performance expectations are not met.
Step 4: Put everything in writing
Once the plan is decided upon, put everything in writing. This step is crucial for remote employees who will require this documentation to guide them through the process of improvement. The written plan should recap the initial concerns with specifics from above, a bullet point list, detail every performance goal with how success can be gauged, underline resources and help available, indicate how often and by what medium follow-up assessments will be done, and include acknowledgment signatures from all those participating.
Step 5: Increase check-ins and make them scheduled
There should be more frequent check-ins during a remote PIP than one conducted in person, for example. Increased check-ins combat feelings of loneliness, allow for ongoing feedback and correction sooner rather than later, and keep lines of communication open and transparent. Furthermore, when possible, these check-ins should occur over video as opposed to audio or messaging, so a personal connection can shine through while following the agenda set to communicate how well the employee is doing against set goals, reflect upon more numeric assessments versus qualitative feedback, give time for the employee to ask questions or voice concerns, then end on actionable item notes until the next check-in. Take notes on each check-in once the meeting is over.
Step 6: Provide resources and assistance for easy use
Employees on PIP working remotely will need resources to help them get better, and those resources should be easy to access. This includes access to online training platforms or skill-building opportunities, remote mentoring or coaching sessions, easy access to documentation of what needs to be done and expectations, IT support for software/systems used, and regularly scheduled opportunities to virtually shadow top performers.
Step 7: Review at the end and determine how to proceed
Once the timeframe for the PIP is over, review whether the employee has made progress towards the goals set and how that will be assessed. The final assessment should include all documentation collected throughout the PIP experience, an assessment showing whether each goal was completed, qualitative improvements, as well as quantitative assessments, assessments from managers, HR, and anyone else required to ensure understanding for next steps.
Performance Improvement Plan Template for Remote Employees
Templates for performance improvement plans help ensure consistency and comprehensiveness of PIPs for your remote workforce. A good performance improvement plan template should include:
- Employee Information: Name, role, profession, department, manager, duration of PIP, and remote location (time zone, remote presence/on-site).
- Overview of Performance Concerns: What’s wrong, what’s below goal achievements, links to job descriptions and expectations, summaries of previous reviews/reminders.
- Expected Goals and Measures of Success: Each expected goal should be stated, how success will be measured should be stated, what resources are provided in the interim, and by when it should be completed.
- Communication Expectations: How often/times will we check in, how/where/how will we document, and how to communicate in an emergency
- Resources and Support: Where to train resources, who will mentor, who to contact for technical support, and other necessary resources
- Assessment Timeline: When check-ins occur, when mid-term assessment is due, when final assessment is due
- Acknowledgement: Signatures stating that we agree upon this plan
According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, successful performance improvement plans concentrate on the future rather than present failures; therefore, the templates are generated to focus on growth opportunities instead of failures.
Performance Improvement Plan Example
Below is an example of what a remote PIP may entail. It’s fictional but based on a digital marketing specialist who fails to respond to communication promptly or meet deadlines:
This is a Performance Improvement Plan for Jamie Rodriguez. Jamie is a remote Digital Marketing Specialist, located in the Eastern time zone. Over the past two months, Jamie has failed to meet deadlines for all assigned tasks, presenting four marketing campaigns an average of 3 days late. Similarly, colleagues report that they are unable to receive timely feedback on urgent inquiries as Jamie fails to respond within 24+ hours to time-sensitive questions. These delays have stalled experimentation for the campaigns and triggered red flags for the content team.
Jamie’s performance improvement plan goals will be communication turnaround (responding to all team communications within a 4 business hour turnaround, attending all required team meetings with cameras on and attendance present, daily updates on project management systems entry) and meeting deadlines (submitting all assigned components of campaigns on time, 48 hours advanced notice if any deadline is in jeopardy, and planning worksheets/submissions complete 5 business days before expected campaign start).
Therefore, to help Jamie make these performance improvements, she will receive time management training, indicator management support and calendar blocking techniques, access to additional project management premium properties, and weekly catch-up sessions with a Senior Specialist. In addition, there will be daily status checks and weekly meetings, and an extensive review after 30 and 60 days for feedback and recommendations. The 60-day review will determine the success of improvements.
This professionalized endeavor allows Jamie to have predictable results, vast resources, and feedback opportunities while still being responsible for her required adjustments.
How Managers Should Manage a PIP with Remote Employees
There needs to be structure and compassion to manage a performance improvement plan successfully with a remote employee. Consider the following:
Discuss facts and impact
When assessing performance issues, avoid making personalized comments and instead, focus on what is observed and the outcome.
Create psychological safety
Employees who are already struggling with performance, in addition to a layer of remote work, are on edge. Be open about your intentions for them to succeed, and that the PIP is a document of dialogue to assist, and not to reprimand.
Recognize mitigating factors
People work from home in a variety of situations. The make-shift home office could be unkempt, children could be heard screaming off-camera or distracting during meetings, and regional blackouts may prevent employees from being online in a reliable manner. While this might not excuse diminished performance, acknowledging it creates an avenue for sensitivity and adjustments where necessary to remove legitimate barriers to performance enhancement.
Document everything
Where no verbal interaction is physically transcribed, everything should be on paper. Place follow-up emails for calls, write up recaps for any meetings, and send them (with permission) for any training sessions and screen shares, and pen notes of progress, resources provided, and promises made.
Promote independence but provide oversight.
Remote work is a form of independence and trusting; however, those who are on performance improvement plans (PIPs) need the appropriate oversight to take advantage of this. There exists a happy medium where expectations are set regarding when someone should be available and responsive, accountability exists for what must be done, not how, when it gets done, but allows the person to determine how to get there, when to check in, and for how long, and access to self-evaluation.
The Three Most Important Components of a Remote PIP
Through research and best practices, it was determined that a remote PIP is most effective when it includes the following 3 essential components:
- Required Communication Channels: Whether it’s daily check-in video chats or mandated hours for Slack or Teams messaging, and how to communicate in emergencies, required channels let the employee know what will be consistently monitored and how best to reach out for help and when.
- Progress Metrics: A remote PIP is more successful when progress is measured by metrics, not subjectively. Assessment metrics must be visible and accessible to both the employee and the supervisor, measured daily or weekly under the same conditions that are visible to the employee, and should relate directly to the performance issue at hand.
- Technological Resources: Properly using technological resources can reduce any distance problems posed by remote PIPs. For instance, the ability to screen share allows for simultaneous training, document sharing allows for collaborative efforts for simultaneous feedback, and project management sites allow for tangible tracking of developments.
Conclusion
PIPs for remote employees depend upon slightly different strategies than normal, as they need to address the advantages and disadvantages of a remote work age. If they’re maintained clear, consistent, and encouraging, remote PIPs can assist fumbling employees in getting back on track to meet expectations.
Just keep in mind that performance management is still performance management of people, even in a virtual environment. The programs, templates, and processes are all active agents; the final product is rendered through the power of passionate conversation, continued correspondence, and investment in engagement on both sides.
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