PIP Australia: First Seven Days

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General information only, not legal advice. Workplace rules depend on your situation, your award or agreement, and where you work. If you’ve already been dismissed, skip to the “Free help” section now, because strict time limits may already be running.

Being told you’re going on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) can feel like the ground just moved. Some people walk out of that meeting convinced they’re about to be fired. Others shrug it off and do nothing for a fortnight. Neither reaction helps.

A PIP can go one of two ways. Sometimes it’s a genuine attempt to help you lift your performance, with clear goals and real support. Sometimes it’s mostly a paper trail being built before a dismissal. In the first week you usually can’t tell which one you’ve got, so the smart move is to act in a way that works either way: stay calm, get everything in writing, and keep your options open.

Here’s a simple plan for days 1 to 7.


Days 1 and 2: Listen, take the document, and read it properly

In the meeting, your only job is to listen and take notes. You don’t need to win the argument today.

  • Ask for a full copy of the plan, including anything it refers to (examples, scorecards, emails).
  • Don’t feel pressured to sign on the spot. It’s reasonable to say you’d like to read it first and you’ll come back by a set day. If you do sign, you can note that you’re acknowledging receipt, not agreeing with every point.
  • Write up what happened the same day: date, time, who was there, what was said. Notes made straight away are far more useful than memories pieced together later.
  • Don’t quit in the heat of the moment. Resigning can close off options you might want later.

The next day, read the plan twice: once to absorb it, and once with a pen. For each goal, ask yourself:

  • What exactly is expected of me?
  • How will it be measured, and by when?
  • What examples are the concerns based on?
  • What training, support or resources are on offer?
  • When are the check-ins, and when does the plan finish?
  • What does it say happens if I don’t meet the goals?

Circle anything vague (“show more ownership”), unrealistic, or that you’re hearing about for the first time.

Day 3: Reply in writing, calmly

Within a working day or two, send a short, polite email. Confirm you’ve received the plan, say you’re committed to meeting the expectations of your role, and ask for anything that’s missing: clearer measures, specific examples, and details of the support being offered.

That one email does a lot of quiet work. It shows you’re cooperating, it creates a dated record, and it puts your questions on paper so nobody can later say you never asked. Keep it short. Don’t argue every point yet, and don’t admit to things you don’t accept.

Day 4: Start a simple record

Set up a folder for the PIP, every related email, your meeting notes, and a short weekly log of what you’ve done towards each goal. Add evidence of good work too, like positive feedback or past reviews.

Be careful with company information. Follow your employer’s policies, and don’t forward confidential business documents, client data or colleagues’ personal details to a personal account. If you need a copy of something, ask for it through the proper channel.

Day 5: Work out where you stand

Even if you fully expect to pass, spend half an hour on the basics:

  • How long have you worked there? Length of service affects whether you can make an unfair dismissal claim.
  • Roughly how big is your employer? Fewer than 15 employees counts as a small business under the Fair Work Act, and some different rules apply.
  • Which award or enterprise agreement covers you? Check your payslip or contract, or use the Fair Work Ombudsman’s Find my award tool.
  • What does your employer’s own performance policy say about how PIPs should run?
  • Did anything happen just before the PIP? For example, a complaint you made, a safety issue you raised, sick leave you took, or a question about your pay. Write down the dates. Timing can matter.

Day 6: Look after yourself

A PIP is stressful, and stress makes it harder to perform, which is the last thing you need. Talk to someone you trust. If you’re in a union, contact them now rather than at the end. If your workplace has an Employee Assistance Program, it’s usually free and confidential. If your sleep or mood is suffering, see your GP.

It’s also worth thinking about who could come with you as a support person to later meetings, and asking them early.

Day 7: Pick your path for the next month

By the end of the week, choose a working strategy. Most people land on one of three:

  1. Improve and stay. The plan looks broadly fair and you want the job.
  2. Improve while preparing. You’ll give it a real go, but you’re also updating your résumé.
  3. Negotiate an exit. The relationship feels beyond repair and you’d rather leave on agreed terms.

You can switch paths later. The point is to stop reacting and start steering.

3 mistakes to avoid in week one

  1. Signing “I agree” under pressure. Take it home and read it first.
  2. Going silent. Saying nothing can look like you accept every concern. A calm written reply protects you.
  3. Sending an angry email. Anything you write may be read later by HR, or even by the Fair Work Commission. Write it, sleep on it, then send the calm version.

What a fair PIP usually includes

The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes a Managing underperformance best practice guide for employers. It’s guidance, not law, and no law says an employer must use a PIP. Still, it’s a useful benchmark. Broadly, it expects the employer to explain the problem clearly, give you a chance to respond, agree on a plan with support, allow a reasonable time to improve, and review progress. If your plan falls well short of that, note the gaps and raise them politely in writing.

Free help in Australia

  • Fair Work Infoline: 13 13 94 (8 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays). If you need an interpreter, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 and ask them to connect you.
  • The Fair Work Commission’s Workplace Advice Service can arrange up to an hour of free legal advice for eligible employees dealing with dismissal, general protections, bullying or sexual harassment. You generally can’t already have a lawyer or paid agent, or be a union member, and appointments depend on availability.
  • Your union, if you’re a member.

If you’ve already been dismissed, act fast: unfair dismissal and general protections dismissal applications to the Fair Work Commission generally must be lodged within 21 days of the dismissal taking effect. Check the Fair Work Commission website for your situation today.

Want the full step-by-step version? The Australian PIP Survival Guide walks you through the whole PIP, with copy-and-paste email templates, a 21-day deadline worksheet, checklists and plain-English explanations of your Fair Work rights. Get it on Amazon Australia

This post is general information only and isn’t legal advice. Information checked 1 November 2026.

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