Episode 17 - The Dreaded Performance Improvement Plans

On This Episode:

Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) use to be a tool of development for workers who needed a "bit of assistance". But nowadays, they're more perceived as the corporate version of a “friendly” execution notice. You may be told that it’s all about growth, coaching, and feedback, but anyone who’s ever been through one of those probational periods knows that it’s more about ticking boxes and lining up the paperwork for your exit. It’s a game of smoke and mirrors, where the company pretends to lend you their support while quietly preparing for your departure. The process itself is pure psychological warfare because once you're tethered to these dreadful PIPs, then suddenly, every move that you make is under the spotlight. You're set up with these vague goals that feel less like opportunities for improvement and more like traps meant to highlight your every flaw. Instead of mentorship, you’re given a checklist, a timeline, and a looming deadline. And somewhere in the middle, you’re left wondering if this is actually about you or it's all just a bureaucratic step, all designed to justify the inevitable. It’s easy to get lost in all that corporate jargon because after all, they're painstakingly advertised to be these tools of aid and assistance that's all for the benefit of the employee. But we can't forget that they're also a tool of HR, and that is poetically complementary. The truth is, PIPs are rarely about performance improvement. They’re about protecting the company, minimizing liability, and making sure they can say they “tried their best to bring you up to speed” before giving you the boot. And while the corporate world may try to dress it up as a fair process, the reality is far more brutal. You’re set up to fail, all while the company gets to claim that they did everything they could. If you’ve ever been handed one of these dreadful PIPs, then you know exactly what we’re talking about. But if you haven’t, consider yourself lucky and you may want to know what happens when a company’s “help” is really just a well-crafted illusion.

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