90 Day Performance Improvement Plan Template for Singapore Agents
A performance improvement plan, or PIP, is a formal, time-bound document that sets measurable goals, support, and a review timeline to help an employee meet job expectations. It is remedial by design, not a disguised termination notice, though it can lead to dismissal if goals go unmet. A PIP works when it pairs documented evidence with a fair, realistic runway for improvement.
TL;DR:
A PIP should focus on clear, documented evidence of underperformance, specific behavioral issues, or role gaps, with measurable success criteria and support plans.
Implementing and managing a PIP requires consistent follow-up, evidence tracking, and timely feedback, rather than relying solely on its written structure.
Proper documentation of all steps, feedback, and support is essential to comply with Singapore’s legal requirements and defend against wrongful dismissal claims.
Vague metrics, infrequent check-ins, or failure to deliver promised support undermine the fairness and effectiveness of a PIP.
Tailoring PIP metrics to sales roles involves linking targets to lead volume, conversions, and listings, instead of vague output measures.
Table of Contents
What Is a Performance Improvement Plan, and When Should You Use One?
A PIP formalizes what coaching and informal feedback couldn’t fix. Most managers typically try verbal coaching and a light development improvement plan before implementing a structured PIP with hard deadlines and documented review points. Jumping straight to a PIP without that runway is one of the fastest ways to make it feel punitive rather than corrective, and sales coaching practitioners consistently recommend diagnosing the root cause before drafting anything formal.
Three situations typically trigger a PIP:
Metric-based underperformance, like a sales rep missing quota for two straight quarters despite adequate lead volume.
Behavioral issues, such as missed deadlines, poor communication, or friction with teammates that’s affecting output.
Role adaptation gaps, common when someone is promoted or transferred and hasn’t yet built the skills the new role demands.
Each type calls for a different tone. A metrics problem is often a training and tools issue. A behavioral one usually needs direct, specific feedback tied to observed incidents, not generalities like “improve your attitude.” Role adaptation cases benefit most from mentorship and a longer runway, since the person is learning something genuinely new rather than failing at something familiar.
How Do You Write an Effective PIP?
A PIP that holds up under scrutiny, and actually helps someone improve, follows a consistent structure. Skipping steps is what turns a PIP into a legal liability and a morale problem at the same time.
Document the performance gap with evidence. Cite specific dates, missed targets, or incidents. “Closed 3 deals against a target of 9 over Q3” carries weight; “hasn’t been performing well” does not.
Set measurable success criteria. Use SMART-style metrics with a clear baseline. If the target is 12 qualified leads a month, state the current average alongside it.
Specify actions and support. Name the training, mentor, or tools the company will provide, and who is responsible for delivering each one.
Agree on a timeline and check-in cadence. Thirty, sixty, or ninety days is standard, with review meetings scheduled in advance rather than “as needed.”
State consequences and next steps. Spell out what happens if targets are met, partially met, or missed, including any HR or appeals touchpoint.
Keep the tone collaborative and factual throughout. A PIP written like a warning letter invites defensiveness; one written like a shared roadmap invites buy-in, even when the underlying message is serious.
Pro Tip: Draft the metrics section with the employee present, not for them. A target they helped set is far harder to dispute later, and it usually surfaces obstacles you didn’t know existed.
How Do You Implement and Manage a PIP Day to Day?
The plan on paper matters less than how it’s run. A kickoff meeting should cover the full document line by line, confirm the employee understands each metric, and end with a written sign-off from both parties.
Progress meetings need a consistent structure: review the metrics against the baseline, discuss specific evidence collected since the last check-in, and note any blockers the manager needs to clear. Keep these meetings on the calendar rather than letting them slip when things get busy.
A few habits keep the process honest:
Log evidence as it happens, not from memory a week later.
Track numbers against the baseline stated in the plan, not a moving target.
Note what support was actually delivered, not just promised.
Loop in HR the moment a plan is trending toward termination, not after the final review.
Managers carry real responsibility here beyond just monitoring. Removing blockers, whether that’s a broken CRM, an unclear commission structure, or a lack of leads, is part of the job. TAFEP’s guidance on fair performance management recommends documenting every review and keeping records for at least a year, which protects both the employee and the company if the outcome is disputed later.
What Are the Legal Considerations for PIPs in Singapore?
Singapore law does not require a PIP before termination for poor performance, but skipping documentation is a real risk. Tripartite Guidelines place the burden of proof on the employer in a dismissal dispute, meaning the company must show it investigated the issue, gave the employee a fair chance to improve, and kept adequate records.
Under Tripartite guidance on wrongful dismissal, dismissing someone for poor performance without proper inquiry, documented evidence, or an opportunity to be heard can be found wrongful, regardless of whether the underperformance was real.
The Tripartite Guidelines on Wrongful Dismissal specify that employers should retain performance records for at least one year. In practice, that means dated notes, written feedback, and signed acknowledgment of the PIP itself, not just a verbal recollection of what was discussed. For employees, this cuts both ways: a well-documented PIP is evidence the company took the process seriously, and a poorly documented one is grounds to challenge a dismissal through an internal appeal or a claim with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management.
What Does a PIP Template Actually Look Like?
Here’s a compact worked example. Role: real estate sales associate. Problem: 4 closed deals against a target of 10 over two quarters, despite consistent lead flow. Objective: close 8 deals in the next 90 days, supported by weekly coaching and a revised follow-up script. Metric: tracked weekly against a baseline of roughly 1.3 closes per month.
A fill-in-the-blank version needs these sections:
Performance gap: what happened, with dates and figures.
Objective and metric: the target number and how it’s measured.
Support provided: training, mentorship, tools, and who owns each.
Timeline: start date, check-in dates, and final review date.
Consequences: outcomes for meeting, partially meeting, or missing the target.
Save each version with a date stamp and store signed copies where HR can retrieve them quickly if the case is ever appealed.
What Mistakes Should You Avoid When Running a PIP?
Employees on a PIP do best when they treat it as a negotiation, not a sentence. Ask for clarification on any vague metric immediately, request the specific resources named in the plan, and keep your own log of progress separate from the manager’s notes.
Managers should give feedback tied to specific incidents, not impressions, and provide the training or tools promised on day one rather than week three.
Common pitfalls worth fixing early:
Ambiguous metrics (“be more proactive”) should become specific counts or dates.
Infrequent check-ins let small problems compound into unfixable ones by week eight.
Promised support that never arrives undermines the entire plan’s credibility.
Pro Tip: If a manager can’t name a specific number or date tied to the concern, the PIP isn’t ready to be issued yet. Vague plans are the ones that get overturned on appeal.
How Sales and Real Estate Teams Adapt PIPs Differently
Generic PIP metrics rarely fit commission-based sales roles. A stronger version ties targets to lead volume, listings secured, and conversion rate rather than vague output measures. Myeracareer’s 90 Day Real Estate Coaching Plan and Agent Performance Dashboard show how those numbers get tracked in practice.
Why Fair Process Matters More Than the Paperwork
The instinct to treat a PIP as a checkbox before termination misses the point entirely. The evidence on performance management and engagement shows outcomes split sharply based on execution: managers who coach consistently and remove real obstacles see people recover, while those who use the plan as a formality see disengagement and exits. A PIP is a tool for ongoing performance management, not a one-time event bolted on when patience runs out.
— Donny
Running a fair PIP takes more structure than most managers have time to build alone, and that gap is exactly where a specialized training partner earns its keep by providing coaching frameworks and toolkit training that turn a generic improvement plan into one built around real sales metrics, not vague performance language.
New agents preparing for licensing can start with RES Course Registration, while experienced agents needing a structured skills refresh have the #Toolkit Training program to draw on. Team leaders managing an underperforming agent can lean on the PG Success Road Map for a personalized coaching framework, and teams that prefer remote support can book Digital Training Via Zoom Webinar sessions directly. If your team is drafting its next PIP and wants objective coaching support built in from the start, reach out through the RES Course Registration page to see which program fits your agents.
Where to Read More on Fair Performance Management
For legal detail, consult MOM’s tripartite guidance on wrongful dismissal and TAFEP’s article on performance management. For a comparative view on dismissal procedures, TerminationHelp covers unfair dismissal preparation in Australia.
Sources
FAQ
Does a PIP Lead to Termination?
Not automatically. A PIP is meant to be remedial, and many employees meet their targets and continue in their role. When goals go consistently unmet despite documented support, it can lead to termination, but Tripartite Guidelines require the employer to show fair process throughout.
Should I Quit If I Get a PIP?
Not necessarily. Review the plan’s metrics and timeline first. If the goals are realistic and the support is genuine, staying and engaging with the process often leads to a better outcome than resigning preemptively.
Should I Resign or Accept a PIP?
Accepting the plan and working through it usually protects your position better than resigning, since a resignation can forfeit any negotiating leverage or notice entitlements. Talk to HR about the specific terms before deciding, especially if any part of the plan feels vague or unachievable.
Can I Be Put on a PIP Without Warning?
A PIP itself often serves as the formal warning, but Singapore’s tripartite guidance expects some prior discussion of the performance concern before a plan is issued. If there was no earlier feedback or documentation of the issue, that’s worth raising during the kickoff meeting or through HR.
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