Few documents carry more baggage than the performance improvement plan (PIP).
For many employees, a PIP signals a formal step toward termination. For supervisors, it can feel like one more HR hurdle in an already demanding job. But Joel Craddock, a longtime leader in custodial and contract services, argues that a properly structured PIP sets up employees for success.
At its core, a performance improvement plan outlines where an employee is falling short and provides specific steps to meet expectations and remain employed.
In facilities environments, expectations center on adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs), technical cleaning or maintenance competencies, safety compliance, reliability and attendance, as well as communication and professionalism on site.
Though the goals may be similar, Craddock stresses that a PIP cannot be one-size-fits-all.
“Every person’s different. So, every performance improvement plan should be customized to the person,” says the president of Doc’s Facilities Solutions.
Customization, however, does not mean inconsistency. Standards must be clearly documented and supported by training.
“You must have a training policy in place, because you can't expect people to know what they're doing, and then hold them to a standard that's not consistent,” he stresses. “A PIP should reinforce expectations already outlined in job descriptions, SOPs and onboarding programs.”
Knowing when to initiate a PIP is one of the more nuanced leadership decisions in facilities management.
Not every performance gap requires formal documentation. Minor deficiencies can often be corrected through informal coaching and follow-up. At the other extreme, serious violations, particularly those involving safety or compliance, may require immediate disciplinary action rather than a PIP.
PIPs work for issues such as incomplete cleaning or maintenance work, inconsistent inspection scores, repeated work orders or ongoing stakeholder complaints.
Data can help managers intervene earlier and more objectively. In Craddock’s organization, a proprietary AI-driven platform developed by Better Flows AI tracks task completion, quality scores, training participation and customer feedback. Employees receive ratings across multiple categories.
“When someone falls under the average, that's when a PIP plan may be necessary,” he explains.
Craddock recommends facility managers use inspection data, CMMS reports and client feedback trends to identify patterns before they escalate. A PIP should be proactive, not reactive, he says.
PIPs often carry negative emotional weight for supervisors and direct reports.
“Most employees see being put on a PIP plan as a negative,” Craddock says.
Managers can feel similar frustration. “Even the manager responsible for that person says, ‘Oh, here we go,” he says.
That mindset undermines the process before it begins. “
When attracting and keeping qualified custodial and maintenance staff is challenging, facility leaders cannot afford to treat PIPs as symbolic warnings,” he says. “We want our employees to win. We don't want to fire people. And, people don't want to get fired,” he stresses.
Craddock recommends framing a PIP as a structured opportunity to improve and making sure the plan includes clear goals and defined support. “When that is done, a PIP can reinforce accountability without eroding morale,” he says.
A common mistake is drafting overly broad PIPs, according to Craddock.
For example, if a custodian consistently delivers strong results in office areas but struggles with restroom sanitation, retraining him/her on every cleaning task is inefficient and suggests management hasn’t pinpointed the actual issue.
The same applies in other areas of facilities operations. A member of the landscape team may mow large areas effectively but overlook edging and detail work. That doesn’t mean that employee needs to relearn how to operate a mower. The employee needs coaching on edging and detail work.
Likewise, a technician who excels at maintaining HVAC equipment but routinely leaves behind debris, tools or packaging that create trip-and-fall or fire hazards does not need training in technical competence, he needs to learn better housekeeping and worksite discipline.
In each case, the question for facility managers is simple: Does the PIP address the actual performance gap or try to retrain the employee on the entire job when only one behavior needs correction?
Effective PIPs isolate the deficiency and define what improvement looks like in measurable terms. That might mean achieving passing restroom inspection scores for 30 consecutive days, eliminating repeat complaints in a specific zone or showing full adherence to documented restroom SOP steps during spot checks.
For the landscape example, it might mean achieving 100 % completion of edging and trimming tasks on weekly inspections for 30 consecutive days or meeting clearly defined appearance standards for beds, tree rings and hardscape edges.
And for the HVAC technician, measurable improvement could include zero documented housekeeping violations over a 60-day period, passing post-work safety inspections with no trip or fire hazards identified, or demonstrating compliance with a standardized job-site cleanup checklist at the close of every work order.
The discussion surrounding a PIP is often more important than the form itself, stresses Craddock.
“It's a two-way street,” he says.
Conversations with the employee help identify what’s really going on. Craddock explains performance challenges may stem from factors supervisors have not fully considered, such as schedule conflicts, childcare issues, equipment malfunctions or building changes that alter workload expectations.
By asking open-ended questions, managers can uncover root causes.
“Sometimes it's looking at, did we assign the right person to the right task?” Craddock says. “Or are we trying to force a round peg into a square hole?”
For facility managers overseeing multiple buildings or shifts, that insight is critical. A PIP can reveal whether the issue is training, resources, supervision or job fit.
A PIP without follow-up quickly loses credibility, Craddock stresses.
Most plans include 30-, 60- and 90-day checkpoints to evaluate progress. In more urgent cases, oversight may need to be far more frequent, with supervisors observing performance in real time and providing immediate coaching.
“If there is a real performance issue, the supervisor should be working alongside the individual and retraining,” Craddock says.
Observation, demonstration and having the employee “show it back” reinforces learning and demonstrates management’s investment in improvement.
Equally important is consistent enforcement. “If milestones are ignored or consequences are never applied, standards erode across the team,” he says.
Clear documentation protects the organization and the employee, according to Craddock.
A well-constructed PIP should outline specific performance deficiencies, expected standards, training or resources provided, and define review timelines and consequences if improvement does not occur.
“It must say, these are the consequences, if we can't resolve this,” Craddock says. “It could be as little as a suspension all the way up to termination.”
Documentation should also “list everything a manager did to help the employee succeed,” he explains. “Here's the training that was provided. Here are the corrections that were made.”
Used improperly, PIPs function as threats. But when used correctly, they reinforce training, clarify expectations and offer structured growth opportunities.
A PIP should never come as a surprise. It should also extend ongoing coaching, and be supported by documented standards, measurable goals and consistent follow-up.
Structure is essential. As Craddock puts it, the aim isn’t punishment. It’s progress. “We want our employees to succeed,” he says.
Craddock also produces a podcast titled “Keep It Clean,” where he shares insights for the janitorial services community and practical guidance to help supervisors lead more effectively. The podcast is available at www.youtube.com/@joelcraddock207. He plans to address performance improvement plans in an upcoming episode, offering added perspective on how to use them constructively in facilities operations.
Ronnie Wendt is a freelance writer based in Minocqua, Wisconsin.
