#performanceimprovement

IBM will silently laying people off after the stock crash... From what I've seen, this is how they do it:

They suddenly label people as "low performers" (making up stories if they have to) and try to push them into quitting.

They put people on PIPs (1–3 month Performance Improvement Plans) and then fire them. The goal seems to be avoiding severance.

They make your work life miserable until you leave on your own.

If you're thinking about joining IBM, I'd honestly look somewhere else. In my experience, the company doesn't have many interesting projects anymore, and management is pretty bad. Most managers have no clue how to lead or manage teams.

Just my opinion based on what I've seen in this company over the years.

Can Execs get PIP’d or demoted to Non-Exec due to poor ranking?

Source: https://seekingalpha.com/news/4612389-medicare-advantage-bonus-payments-exceed-13b

There’s a difference between cutting costs and building capability. Lay off enough institutional knowledge and eventually the people who know how to improve quality, member experience, and operational execution are gone too.

The consequences don’t show up in the next town hall. They show up later on the scorecard.

Sarah said it loud and clear: ”When the market changes, we change.”

CMS had a different way of measuring change and just released its annual performance review.

UnitedHealth: $3.9B in Medicare Advantage quality bonuses. CVS: $2.0B. Humana: $1.5B. Kaiser: $1.2B, with virtually 100% of Medicare Advantage members in bonus-eligible plans.

Centene: $21.5M (yes MILLION) Just 6% of Medicare Advantage members are enrolled in bonus-eligible plans. Approximately 882,000 members are not.

Industry average: 68%
Kaiser: 100%
Centene: 6%

Overall Rating: Needs Improvement.
Performance Improvement Plan: Recommended.

Free advice to management: Organizations get exactly what they optimize for. If every decision favors short-term margins over long-term capability, don’t be surprised when competitors outperform you on the metrics that actually matter. You can’t outsource institutional knowledge or lay off your way to operational excellence. Institutional knowledge isn’t overhead. It’s the capability that drives quality, operational excellence, and sustainable results.

I’ve read some PIP experiences where people mentioned scorecards, weekly or biweekly check‑ins, PIP goals, and coaching.... Can someone explain the PIP process in detail? What are these terms ?

There's actually a PIP week here? It's not a year-round thing? Haven't been here long enough to know, but if it's true, I like it.

Don’t normally attend these monthly calls but decided to tune in today. Well that was an hour wasted. Mainly insufferable people droning on in corporate speak about absolute BS. Main takeaway was hearing that 400 UK staff are on a PIP? Is this bell curve requirements, something for middle managers to do, a tick box exercise or all 3? Oh and not a word about pay review.

I've seen multiple people placed on PIPs in the last six months. It's making me nervous. Is this just how things work here? Or is it a strategy to document people out the door so they don't get severance? I'd really like to know if I'm being paranoid or if this is a legitimate concern.

Is IBM using PIPs to exclusively get rid of employees who are US citizens?

Do you know of any H1B employees have been been put on PIP and fired for not being able to successfully complete the PIP.

How sc--wed am I?

In my experience, not many.

My manager, who can't stand me for some reason, has been working overtime to find faults with my work, so I'm guessing there's a PIP in my future. In my last company, PIP meant you might as well leave right away. Is it the same here? Should I start looking for something else right away?

I guess I should start packing my bags?

I mean sure, surface level they su-k. They load you up with impossible metrics to meet, MORE work, and basically make your job impossible. Most half smart people know it's a way for HR to get rid of you... without firing you.

BUT, a PIP is typically at minimum 3 months and sometimes even 6 months. That's 3-6 months of PAYCHECKS, Insurance, etc... Take advantage of that and spend 95% of your time looking for and applying to new jobs on dells dime. The thing with PIP's is that they can be extended so long as their is progress being made. So the key is to work and at least TRY to improve but, don't put too much effort into it also.

A PIP is a fantastic package tbh. Far better than what you'd get if you were laid off. Also, if you do find a new job within the PIP time period, you can quit dell and that PIP doesn't get recorded by HR. It basically never existed. PIP's are recorded ONLY if you pass it, or fail it and are then terminated.
Source: Have been PIP'd before.

OP: @gv+1ks2vwndd

This deserved its own thread.

I remember many years ago an employee who was 53 dared exxon to fire him. He was arrogant and rich so he did not cafre. He was told by hr that he did not have to complete the DPC. He barely attempted to do any of the stuff on the plan and even missed many of the meetings with the boss. In the end he passed and was left alone for a few more years. There were many loke him as we called them retired in place. One machinist just walked around all day with his coffee. He worked on a single part for a months just taking his time. Another NRE fellow would hide out all day and disappear. One old guy told the management he did not deserve to be on dpc and refused to participate. He passed as well. Even employees on pips passed at high rate years ago. It has all changed now and the pass rate is very low. Pips used to be common when you were in your sixties now the can happen at any age.

One of my teammates is on one right now, and he knows he’s as good as gone, with nothing to show for it. At least with a layoff, you get severance.

Once you're on it, you already know how it ends. I really hope no one is fooling themselves into thinking they can fight it.

I've had multiple coaching memos doesn't take a genius that they want me gone lol.
How long do I have until a formal PIP?

Anyone had success getting out of PIP? Or once you are on it, you are done?

Is PIP something that can happen, or do you simply get fired, no chance to improve, if you messed up?

Or do you get the whole thing to "improve," no matter what?

But Employee visited maybe once a week or month. Additionally, there are various tools and adapters available that allow for remote access to different ports without violating any Information Security controls or processes (very simple tools on Amazon/Ebay).

The introduction of the USB New RTO policy, which includes a 2026 Talent and Performance Metric that logs hours at a hub or triggers a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), has become a subject of humor within the corporate environment, often leading to memes that ridicule the corporate productivity policy and how not to be a CEO or how not to treat your employees.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/exxon-says-iran-war-will-curb-1q-production-by-6-4aa8c83e

What kind of id--t loses revenue with $100 oil price? As a shareholder, I demand DW get NSI ranking, and if he ever does this again in the next five years, be fire!

What happens when you go on these plans? Metrics are ridiculous. Being faulted over something that is not in your control.

Is PIP a death sentence at Chevron? Is there a point in trying to beat it?

Are you given an option for improvement plan? If so, can you decline and receive severance?
How frequently are we seeing NSI given to MPT employees in Canada ? Seems more common than in US.

Ready for another round?

Over 300 people have already left since the September 29 announcement, projects are scarce, meaningful work even scarcer and the long-term outlook for Canada couldn’t be clearer. Naturally, this seems like the perfect moment to proceed with the ranking cycle.

For those unfamiliar with the tradition: everyone gets ranked against colleagues worldwide, the curve must be filled and a pre-determined slice of the population will inevitably land in the “Needs Significant Improvement” category because nothing says modern leadership like deciding in advance how many underperformers you need.

From there the process is beautifully efficient: a helpful Performance Improvement Plan, a quiet exit and the reassurance that this isn’t a layoff just the system working exactly as designed.

Given the current morale and the steady stream of departures, the timing is almost poetic. If anything, the exercise should help clarify priorities for the few remaining optimists.

After all, when the future of the business in Canada looks this bright, someone will surely be eager to relocate to Edmonton and help keep the Strathcona refinery dream alive.

Are they legit or just a way to get rid of people without paying them severance? Is there a point in trying to "improve," or not?

The plan lasts for one more month. Can anyone tell me if I can seek other internal jobs here at Ford while my performance improvement plan is in effect? I really want to get out of the group I work in.

PIP has been moved to 30 days instead of the normal 90 days. 30 days to get on pip 90 days to get off pip.….whoever makes these decisions are so out of touch with reality they should be in a mental institution

If you don’t hit 50% of your phone target you move immediately to a written warning.

All hands call tomorrow. Maybe members of the cwa should get on and speak up for us

Got it for the first time. Will I be put in a Performance improvement plan? Or will be let go soon?

Received my annual review, rated a 2 with no concrete examples of why just comments about working partners provided great feedback but leadership felt differently. Was this a surprise? In the sense that I received feedback randomly less than 5 times during the year with no formal feedback during 1:1s (if I had them), yes. In the sense that I expected no less from my leadership team, nope. So definitely thinking I’m a future list as I specifically asked if I was going on a formal CAP and was told no that we’ll talk again in a few days to make a plan for 2026. Sigh. Just needed to “vent”.

Employee with 20+ years
Currently with Optum

Do you know anybody who did? Is it worth even trying?

I just got a PIP. Given the current state of the company and the layoffs, would you think I will be axed at the end of the improvement period?

How would one do this?

Disappointed in your performance. See, I have expectations too, and you have not met them. I have quietly been evaluating, showing grace, providing feedback to no avail. You are formally moving to a PIP and I will be severing this relationship if your performance as my employer does not improve. I’ll be documenting your progress towards the desired weekly. Signed, your hard working humble employees.

Had a mid career experienced hire employee tell me he just likes to keep his head down and let his work speak for itself. He is on the fast track for a PIP. The psychos will notice and take huge advantage of him. I tried to warn him.

For my 2025 mid year review, I was given an IM. Second half of the year, my manager acknowledged things were a lot better but still gave me an IM for the EOY review because he "had to consider the year as a whole". Now he tells me because I have 2 IMs in a row I need to be on PIP according to HR. His review had the most bogus generic points just so he could embellish why he was giving me the poor rating.

I should probably be looking for another job now but does anyone have any advice? Is it pretty much over now that I'm on PIP? Should I not sign any of the PIP documents? Ive already opened a ticket with HR to have all of this documented going forward but my managers assessment just seems completely unreasonable.

I was placed on a formal coaching plan and, despite making progress, did not reach the final performance threshold. Now waiting to see what comes next, hopeful for an extension to continue building momentum. Anyone else have feedback on how coaching plans pan out if you don’t meet all of the requirements?

URA solution worse than the problem....

Why stack rank across an individual team? It's myopic. If a team only has high performers and you're forced to cut by dishonestly ranking three reports as "least effective", then what's the point? Those reports may be (relatively) ranked as "exceeds" on a different team that has much lower performing reports that aren't ranked "least effective". Plus what if the cause of actual "performance issues" is their manager and their leadership instead of those reporting? Ding ding!

Targeted Attrition: The goal is for managers to ensure a certain percentage of employees (often cited as 6%) leave, known as "unregretted" because the company does not regret their departure.

Focus & PIPs: Employees deemed part of the URA quota are often placed on Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) or a program called "Focus," which acts as a precursor to forced resignation or termination.

Managerial Pressure: Managers are expected to meet these targets, and if they fall short in one year, they may be forced to make up the difference in the next.

"Quiet Firing" Tactics: Reports indicate that employees may be encouraged to find other jobs or be subject to "silent sacking" to avoid the negative publicity of layoffs and, in some cases, severance costs.

Cultural Impact: This system has been criticized for fostering a high-pressure, fearful environment where employees feel pressured to leave even if they are solid performers.