3 signs a PIP is looming and what to do

• Stephanie Alston shared signs of an impending performance improvement plan.
• HR exec Alston avoided a PIP by spotting the red flags in advance.
• Key indicators include being put on less exciting projects and having reduced communication from your manager.

The head of a recruitment agency, who was almost placed on a performance improvement plan in an earlier role, laid out the telltale signs that a PIP is on the way.

Stephanie Alston, CEO of North Carolina-based BGG Enterprises, worked previously in employee relations when she knew her future in that company was in jeopardy.

Alston said she did not end up receiving a PIP because she knew what to watch out for, and was then able to act to eventually prevent receiving one.

From Alston's 10 years of experience in recruitment and having dodged one herself, here are three indicators that a PIP might soon be issued:

1. Less exciting projects

Not being assigned to high-impact projects anymore is a real red flag worth identifying quickly, she said.

This lets you as an employee know that there has been a reduction in your involvement in short-term and long-term planning.

"If you find yourself in meetings and no one is even addressing what the future of your role looks like, you can almost guarantee that either a PIP is on the way or a layoff is imminent," Alston said.

2. Reduced communication

Alston said any level of reduced communication or vague feedback from your manager is usually a sign of an impending PIP.

"I think the lack of enthusiasm even on their part could be a red flag or a signal for you to know that things are not that great right now," she said.

A change like this is particularly alarming if your manager has a tendency to micromanage, Alston added.

"If you have a manager or leader who at one point was constantly sharing feedback and communicating with you and suddenly they grow silent, either you can feel being on the cutting board, or perhaps they're losing enthusiasm for their role," she said.

"But for me, I would always say lean on the side of maybe you're on the cutting board," Alston said.

3. Formal feedback

If you start getting a lot of formal feedback or you're asked to provide written updated communications, that could also be a warning.

"Once you start having a leader who puts everything in writing, especially the feedback and negative feedback they have for you, that is always the number one telltale sign that a PIP is on the way," Alston said.

People who work in human resources are often told to document everything, and once something is in writing, it creates a paper trail, she explained.

This is to formally warn you of an issue and give you an amount of days to fix it.

It can take different shapes, but may include being asked to provide frequent updates or the date for when you plan to have a task finished by, she said.

How to respond to the signs

Alston said she wanted to do all that was possible to make her manager happy again to avoid receiving a PIP, which she didn't end up getting.

Now as the CEO of a recruitment agency, Alston tells people exactly what to do if they see these signs too.

"The more you're over communicating, the more to me it shows that you understand your value," she said.

You should be articulating your worth to your manager and how serious you are about the role that you're in, Alston advised.

"Don't let your manager second guess your value, your tasks, or your commitment to the company," she said.