Performance improvement is a structured effort to close a gap between current results and an agreed standard. It can apply to an individual’s work or to a team, process, or organization-wide outcome. The effort begins by defining the result that needs to change and understanding what is causing the gap. The response may involve coaching, training, clearer instructions, better tools, or changes to the work process. Progress is checked so the approach can be adjusted when circumstances or results change. Unlike a formal performance improvement plan, performance improvement is a broad practice and does not necessarily signal discipline or a formal employment action. It is most effective when expectations are understandable and the people involved have a fair opportunity to act on feedback. Because the right response depends on the cause of the gap, improvement is not simply a matter of asking someone to work harder.
Table of Contents
- How Does Performance Improvement Work?
- What Makes an Improvement Effort Useful?
- How Is Performance Improvement Different from a Pip?
- What Legal Considerations Can Affect Performance Improvement?
- How Does Performance Improvement Apply to Contingent Workers?
How Does Performance Improvement Work?
Start by describing the result that needs to change and the standard expected. The standard should be clear enough that people can tell whether it has been met. For example, a team handling orders might track how often completed orders need correction. “Improve accuracy” alone gives little guidance unless the organization explains what counts as an error and how accuracy will be assessed. A useful standard also identifies the relevant time period and the quality level expected.
Next, compare actual work with the standard and look for the cause before choosing a response. Errors might reflect inadequate training, unclear instructions, limited system access, or a process that creates delays. Each cause points to a different action. Training will not resolve a recurring delay caused by an approval process. Reviewing examples of the work and asking people familiar with the process can help distinguish a knowledge gap from a system or workflow problem.
Agree on an action and a suitable way to check whether it helps. A manager might arrange coaching or clarify the work instructions. A process owner might change a workflow or provide missing equipment. The cycle then continues through observation and feedback. The approach resembles the broader performance management cycle, but improvement can focus on a specific gap without requiring a full appraisal system. Set a reasonable review point so there is enough time to see whether the change is working.
What Makes an Improvement Effort Useful?
A useful effort connects a defined gap with an outcome that can be assessed. Measures should reflect the actual goal rather than a convenient number. For a customer support team, call length alone may encourage rushed conversations. Resolution quality can help show whether customers’ needs were met as well as how quickly calls were handled. Using more than one relevant indicator can provide a fuller picture, provided each measure is understood and applied consistently.
Consider factors outside the worker’s control when interpreting results. System outages or delays from another team may affect output even when the person doing the work follows the established process. Feedback is more actionable when it points to observed work and explains what should continue or change. If expectations or conditions change, revisit the measure rather than treating an outdated standard as fixed. This helps prevent a measure from rewarding behavior that undermines the actual goal.
Keep a practical record of the expectation, agreed actions, support provided, and review findings. A competency-based performance appraisal can help organize feedback around skills and behaviors related to a role. A document management system may support recordkeeping. Follow the organization’s access and retention practices so records are available to the appropriate people. Notes should be factual and specific enough to explain what was observed and what follow-up occurred.
How Is Performance Improvement Different from a Pip?
Performance improvement is the general practice of improving work or results. It can be routine and developmental, such as helping someone learn a new system. It can also address work that is below expectations. The approach may apply to an individual, a team, or a process. It does not require a formal document or a disciplinary purpose, although organizations may choose to record the steps taken.
A performance improvement plan, often called a PIP, is a formal document some employers use to address an employee’s performance shortfall. Depending on the employer’s policies, it may describe the concern, the required standard, the actions expected, support available, and review dates. A PIP is one possible format for addressing performance. It is not another name for every coaching conversation or improvement effort. Its purpose and consequences depend on the employer’s policies and the circumstances.
The label alone does not establish whether a conversation is developmental or part of a formal employment process. Employers should use their policies consistently and describe concerns with accurate examples. A plan is more useful when it also considers contributing causes and states what support will be provided. It should not be used to disguise inconsistent treatment or retaliation. Clear communication about the process helps the employee understand expectations and how progress will be reviewed.
What Legal Considerations Can Affect Performance Improvement?
In the United States, legal requirements may affect how an employer sets standards and responds to a performance concern. The details can depend on the applicable federal law as well as state or local protections. Performance records and decisions should be based on legitimate work-related expectations and handled consistently. When a concern overlaps with a medical condition, leave, or a workplace complaint, the situation may need additional review. This overview is general information and is not a substitute for advice about a particular situation.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that covered employers can generally apply job-related performance standards to qualified employees with disabilities. They may also need to consider reasonable accommodation that enables an employee to meet a standard or perform essential job functions. An employee does not necessarily have to use the words “reasonable accommodation” to raise a request. See the EEOC’s guidance on performance standards and employees with disabilities.
Eligible employees of covered employers have protections under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The Department of Labor explains that employees may not be punished for using FMLA leave, including through prohibited attendance-policy penalties. Its FMLA employee protections fact sheet describes those protections and their eligibility context. State and local leave rules may also apply. When a performance issue overlaps with protected leave or an accommodation request, seek guidance from qualified HR or legal personnel.
How Does Performance Improvement Apply to Contingent Workers?
For a contingent worker, improvement efforts are most useful when they focus on the assignment’s stated deliverables and applicable terms. A description of the assignment or statement of work may establish expected outputs, quality requirements, and timing. Check those expectations before deciding that a result falls short. This keeps the discussion grounded in what was agreed rather than in assumptions drawn from a process designed for a direct employee. It also helps identify whether a concern is about the deliverable or about the way the work was set up.
If a deliverable misses the agreed specification, clarify the requirement and identify what needs correction. If the work was delayed because a system permission was missing, correcting access may address the issue more directly than additional instruction. Distinguishing a deliverable problem from a process or resource problem helps the parties choose a practical response. Any follow-up should remain consistent with the assignment terms and the responsibilities of the parties involved.
Organizations using a contingent workforce should make clear who communicates concerns and who coordinates with a supplier or other parties involved. The appropriate channel depends on the engagement arrangement and its terms. A contingent worker may work under arrangements that differ from those of an employee, so an employee-focused improvement process should not automatically be applied unchanged. In contingent workforce management, TCWGlobal’s work may relate to coordination around assignment expectations and supplier communication when those responsibilities are part of the program. Documentation can clarify what issue was raised and how follow-up relates to the assignment.
