Performance improvement plan builder

Build a performance improvement plan with specific expectations, how each will be measured, the support you will give, and a dated check-in schedule.

Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.

Plan

Defaults to your name.

weeks
weeks

Keep this on if the plan may lead to dismissal: the employee should be warned first.

Area 1

Performance improvement plan

Plan ends
Enter start date
Check-ins
0

Check before you use it

  • Discuss the concerns with the employee before issuing the plan, with examples, and let them respond. Offer a support person for formal meetings.
  • Make each expectation specific and measurable, and set a standard the role actually requires and others in the role meet.
  • Allow enough time for real improvement (often 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the role) and deliver the support you promise. Record each check-in.
  • The plan says that dismissal is a possible outcome. Under s 387(e) the employee should be warned before a dismissal for performance, so keep this line if dismissal may follow.
  • If the employee raises illness, injury, disability, caring responsibilities or a complaint, get advice before continuing.

[Employer name]

[Date of letter]

Private and confidential [Employee name] [Position]

Dear [Employee first name],

Performance improvement plan

This plan follows our meeting on [meeting date], where we discussed concerns about parts of your work performance and you had the chance to give your views. Its purpose is to set out clearly what is expected, how progress will be measured, and the support we will give you to get there.

The plan runs from [start date] to [end date].

Area 1: [area of performance, e.g. accuracy of invoices]

What is expected[the standard, stated specifically]
How it will be measured[evidence you will look at, e.g. error rate in a weekly sample]
Support we will provide[training, coaching, resources or changes]

Check-ins

[Manager name] will meet with you to review progress on the following dates. At each check-in we will talk about what is going well, where you are still short of the standard, and whether you need more support.

  • [Review dates]

Please raise any concerns about the plan, the targets or the support at any time. If something outside work is affecting your performance, let us know so we can consider what help we can offer.

At the end of the plan we will assess whether the expected standard has been reached. If it has not, further action may be taken, which could include a warning or termination of your employment. No decision about that has been made, and we will discuss the outcome with you before deciding anything.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your position]

[Employer name]

Employee acknowledgement

I have received a copy of this plan and it has been discussed with me.

Signed: ________________________ Date: ____________

[Employee name]

Highlighted text in [brackets] still needs your input. General information, not legal advice.

How this works

Enter the plan’s start date, length and how often you will check in. The builder sets out a check-in date for each interval, ending with a final review on the last day of the plan. Add up to six areas, each with an expected standard, a measure and the support you will provide.

The plan records concerns you have already discussed with the employee. It is not a finding of misconduct and says that no decision about the outcome has been made. If dismissal is a possible outcome, keep the line that says so: under the Fair Work Act s 387(e), an employee dismissed for performance should have been warned first.

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Legal basis

Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.

Questions

Is a performance improvement plan required by law?

No. But if you later dismiss someone for performance, the Fair Work Commission considers whether they were warned about the unsatisfactory performance, and the Small Business Fair Dismissal Code expects a warning and a reasonable chance to fix the problem. A clear plan is the usual way to show both.

How long should a PIP run?

Long enough for real improvement to be possible and visible. Four to twelve weeks is common, depending on the role and how often the work can be measured. A plan that is too short to succeed is unlikely to be seen as fair.

What makes a goal measurable?

It describes the standard and how you will check it. “Improve attention to detail” is not measurable. “No more than 2 errors in every 100 invoices, checked weekly from a sample of 50” is.

What if the employee says the problem is caused by a health issue?

Pause and find out more. You may need to consider reasonable adjustments, and taking action because of illness, injury or disability can be unlawful. Get advice before continuing.

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Questions the calculator can’t answer?

Workfloor answers pay, award, leave and termination questions for your team, with the Fair Work Act section or award clause behind each answer.

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