Performance Improvement Plan Toolkit | ACT-Informed PIP for Supervisors & HR

Description

Most PIPs are paperwork before a termination. This one is a real plan to help an employee succeed, and a fair, well-documented process if they don’t.

The ACT-Informed Performance Improvement Plan Toolkit gives supervisors and HR everything they need for a performance plan, from deciding whether a PIP is the right tool to closing it out and keeping the progress going. Every expectation is tied to your workplace values, so employees know not just what to do, but why it matters.

Created by a BCBA with 15+ years of director-level leadership in ABA clinics and adult IDD services, grounded in organizational behavior management (OBM) and Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT).

WHAT’S INCLUDED (45 pages, editable Word .docx)

• Which Tool Fits? – A decision flowchart: coach, retrain, fix the system, start a plan, or move to formal discipline
• Supervisor Self-Check – An ACT matrix and “away moves” checklist to help you stay kind and clear
• Performance Improvement Plan Template (13 pages) – Starts with a screen for barriers, then covers current performance, past coaching and warnings, impact and workplace values, the employee’s perspective, measurable expectations, a support plan, weekly data and check-ins, midpoint review, outcome, and signatures
• Completed Example Plan (12 pages) – A fully filled-in 60-day plan with “Why this works” notes on every page
• PIP Meeting Script & Conversation Guide – A five-step script, plus what to say when an employee gets defensive, cries, refuses to sign, or says “this is unfair”
• Employee Handout – A warm, one-page guide to what a PIP is and how to succeed on one
• Documentation Cheat Sheet – “Write this, not this” examples, a sample check-in note, and where to file what
• The “What If…” Guide – Partial progress, extensions, relapse, resignation, leave, accommodations, and complaints
• Close-Out Templates – A completion letter, close-out email, 30/60/90-day maintenance messages, and an extension letter

WHY IT’S DIFFERENT
✓ Checks for system barriers before holding anyone accountable
✓ Measurable expectations with clear success criteria and weekly progress graphs
✓ Values-connected, so the plan is about a shared goal, not a verdict
✓ ACT tools for both the supervisor and the employee
✓ HR-friendly: fair progression, objective documentation, and acknowledgment language

PERFECT FOR
HR managers and generalists • BCBAs and clinical supervisors • RBT, DSP, and paraprofessional supervisors • Special education administrators and teachers who supervise paras • Program directors and human services managers

FORMAT
Instant digital download • Editable Word (.docx) • US Letter • Open in Microsoft Word or upload to Google Docs • Print or type • Add your organization’s name and policies

PLEASE NOTE
This toolkit offers general best practices, not legal advice. Employment laws vary by location; have HR or employment counsel review your final plan. Licensed for use within your own organization; please don’t share or resell.