Performance Improvement Plan Course
A manager brings you a performance problem. Decide whether it needs a PIP, then write the plan for a real employee. In three recorded lessons, Mike Pritula shows how to set measurable goals, agree on support and run the process through to the final meeting.
- 3 recorded lessons
- 6 templates and tools
- AI prompts for PIP preparation
- Homework review
- Diploma
By Mike Pritula — No. 1 HR instructor on Udemy, 21 years in HR
The job in front of you Sound familiar?
A manager asks you to act on poor performance, but the cause is unclear: skills, motivation or the way work is organised.
The improvement plan says “do better” and gives a deadline, but nobody can explain what success means.
You need to present a PIP and hold progress meetings, but you have no conversation structure.
Each manager handles performance problems differently, so employees receive different expectations and support.
What you will have after the course
A decision on the right next step
Use the readiness checklist to separate cases that need a PIP from those that need feedback, coaching or a change to working conditions.
A plan you can discuss with the employee
Write the performance gap, measurable goals, deadlines, check-ins, support, success criteria and consequences in one document.
A process managers can follow
Set roles, a meeting schedule and process metrics. Use the roadmap and cost comparison to explain the proposal to leadership.
| Day | Meeting | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Kickoff | Presentation of PIP. Expectations, goals, support. |
| Day 14 | Check-in #1 | Learning progress. First results. |
| Day 30 | Check-in #2 | Midterm Assessment. Adjusting the plan. |
| Day 45 | Check-in #3 | Pre-Final Evaluation. Forecast of the result. |
| Day 60 | Final Review | Final evaluation. Solution: success/exit. |
Start today, for free
The structure of a PIP is open in PapaHR: the facts, goals in numbers, deadlines, support and clear consequences for 30–90 days. Look at it before the course — or fill it in during lesson two.
- Create a PIP as an HR document in PapaHR and keep it with the employee's card.
- Use performance reviews to record the performance gaps that the improvement plan needs to address.
- In Free you can create 5 HR documents; unlimited — in Pro and in the academy subscription.
Tools you get in the course
PIP readiness checklist
Assess the situation before choosing a PIP; includes a scoring sheet and an example.
ExcelPerformance improvement plan template
Sections for the gap, goals, timeline, check-ins, support, success criteria and consequences.
ExcelPIP conversation scripts
Prepare the first conversation, progress meetings and closure after success or failure.
WordSMART goals library
50+ goal statements and success criteria for skills, behaviour, productivity, quality and attendance.
ExcelPIP process roadmap
A three-month rollout plan and a RACI matrix showing who does what.
ExcelPIP dashboard and ROI calculator
Track process metrics and individual PIPs; compare the cost of improvement with replacement.
ExcelWho this course is for
HR generalist
needs to assess a performance problem and prepare a first PIP
HR business partner
helps managers use clear goals and a consistent process
HR director
sets the company standard and tracks what happens after a PIP
Manager or team lead
needs to explain expectations and provide practical support
Program
Lesson 1. Decide whether a PIP is needed
Compare a PIP with feedback, coaching and other responses. Diagnose gaps in skills, motivation and working conditions. Complete the readiness checklist before choosing an intervention.
Result: A reasoned decision about whether to start a PIP.
Lesson 2. Write the plan and prepare the conversation
Complete the plan step by step. Set SMART goals, deadlines and success criteria. Choose support and check-in dates. Use the goal library, conversation scripts and AI prompts to prepare your own case.
Result: A completed PIP and a structure for the employee conversation.
Lesson 3. Set up the company process
Connect PIPs with performance reviews, feedback and development. Assign HR and manager responsibilities, choose a timeline, review process metrics and prepare a rollout roadmap and cost comparison.
Result: A company process with roles, check-ins, metrics and a rollout plan.
Your profile after the course
What you can add to LinkedIn and your CV — and what this work pays.
Your Name
HR Business Partner · Performance improvement plans
Experience
Prepared a performance improvement plan with measurable goals, support and check-ins, plus a company rollout plan with roles and process metrics.
Licenses & certifications
PIP Playbook — Mike Pritula AcademyDiploma after the course
Skills
- Performance Improvement Plans
- SMART Goals
- Performance Conversations
- Manager Support
- Performance Metrics
Medians in the U.S.; pay depends on country, company and experience. * U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
Your diploma after the course
Complete the course assignments and get a personal diploma of Mike Pritula Academy.
- Add it to Licenses & certifications on LinkedIn
- Every diploma has its own unique code
- The QR code on the diploma opens its online version
- Issued on Accredible, the platform Google, Udacity and Rosetta Stone use for their certificates, so it cannot be forged
- Lesson 1. Decide whether a PIP is needed
- Lesson 2. Write the plan and prepare the conversation
- Lesson 3. Set up the company process
Learn from your phone
Recorded lessons fit into your day: on the way to work, at lunch or in the evening.
- Recorded video lessons — watch at any time
- A year of access, at your own pace
- PIP templates and tools in Excel and Word
- Homework reviewed, Diploma after completing the assignments
Mike Pritula
Founder of Mike Pritula Academy and PapaHR
Mike Pritula founded the academy and built PapaHR, the HR system where the templates of his courses work for real companies. The playbooks are his own HR practice, step by step.
What graduates of the academy say
Graduates of related Mike Pritula Academy courses, from the surveys they fill in when they get the diploma.
“This course helped me become a professional HR manager. I gained a lot of knowledge and answers to many questions.”
Course: HR Manager · Profile on LinkedIn
“HRBP isn’t about “processes for the sake of processes” — it’s about speaking to the business in the language of numbers and strategy. The practical cases helped me roll out new analysis tools while I was still studying.”
Course: HRBP · Profile on LinkedIn
“The training also changed the way I see my role as an HR professional. I started applying some of the approaches almost immediately — when working with managers and challenging employees, conducting 1:1 meetings and coaching sessions, and resolving workplace conflicts.”
Course: People Partner · Profile on LinkedIn
“It helped me look at HR systematically — as a business function rather than a set of separate processes. What’s especially valuable is that every topic was backed by practical tools, calculations and real management cases, so I could apply it at work straight away.”
Course: HR Generalist · Profile on LinkedIn
Price
for one person, access for a year
- 3 recorded lessons
- 6 templates and tools, plus AI prompts
- Homework review
- Diploma
a year for one person
- All 150+ courses of the academy, this one included
- All playbooks, now and new ones
- Homework review and certificates
- PapaHR Pro for up to 50 employees
a year for a team of up to 10 people
- Everything in the annual subscription
- For up to 10 people of your team
- PapaHR Pro for up to 200 employees
Questions
When should I use a PIP?
Start by identifying the cause of the performance gap. The course compares a PIP with feedback, coaching and development, and uses a readiness checklist to help choose the next step.
What needs to go into the plan?
The course uses seven elements: the performance gap, SMART goals, a timeline, check-ins, support, success criteria and consequences. You fill them in for a real employee.
How long does the course take?
There are three recorded lessons with homework. Access lasts a year. You can pause the demonstrations and complete your own plan as you study.
Do I need PapaHR for the course?
No: the course tools come in Excel and Word. PapaHR is free for up to 25 employees and lets you keep a PIP with the employee's card.
Do I get a Diploma?
Yes, after completing the course assignments. Homework is reviewed.
What does the annual subscription give?
All 150+ courses of the academy for a year, including this one. You can study the recorded classes at your own pace. The team subscription covers up to 10 people.