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Comment by everdrive | Hacker News Reader

I was under the impression that a PIP was nearly always a "here's your chance to get another job" warning, and never really an earnest chance to improve. Does anyone understand differently?

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I was put on a PIP at Google and kept my job afterwards, they basically put massive training wheels on you. I had a director checking in with me 2-3 a week to put the pressure on, even doing some pair programming which was interesting. They really are trying to figure out why you aren't working well and see if you are a lost cause.

Can you elaborate on the "interesting" aspect of pairing with the director?

I guess it shows that they weren't just going to take a manager's word it and that multiple levels of management engaged in a PIP. Especially with how busy this director was typically, it was a use of their time that I didn't expect. Also, having a director be competent enough as an IC to pair program was something I hadn't experienced or expected.

I was "put on a PIP" by my boss at AMZN, but it turned out it wasn't really a PIP (i.e. - HR wasn't involved). It was just my boss trying to pressure me to work 50 hours per week during the holidays instead of the typical 60.

> It was just my boss trying to pressure me to work 50 hours per week during the holidays instead of the typical 60.

I'm not following.

Is this sarcasm/humor? Why would your boss put you on a PIP to pressure you to work LESS?

I think they mean 50 hours a week during holidays instead of ZERO, which is the typical holiday workload. The manager saw the holidays as a minor discount to regular time-commitment.

Why would he work during holidays?

You don't really know if HR was involved or not.

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