Focus, Pivot & Performance Management
What is unregretted attrition (URA)?
Unregretted attrition (URA) is the share of employees an organization plans to have leave each year and 'not regret' losing, whether they leave voluntarily or are managed out. The figure most people cite is around 6%, but reported targets range widely by org and year, from as low as about 4% (reportedly during the pandemic) to as high as 15% in some accounts, so treat any single number as a rough benchmark. It is managed across a large organization rather than team by team, but when an org is behind its URA number, managers feel pressure to move more people into the performance process.
What is Focus, and how do I end up on it?
Focus is the first formal stage of the performance process, a lighter coaching step before the harder Pivot stage. The usual entry point is a sustained Least Effective rating. Your manager is expected to give written feedback, set specific improvement goals, and log your progress, often weekly. A common tell that you are on Focus: internal transfers get blocked and require senior approval.
Does my manager have to tell me I am on Focus?
Not proactively. Managers are not required to volunteer that you are on Focus. However, if you ask directly, they are supposed to confirm it honestly. In practice some employees report managers dodging even a direct question, so ask clearly, and in writing if you can.
How long does Focus last, and can it be extended?
Reported duration is roughly 3 to 6 weeks of active time, up to about 90 days, with a minimum near 3 months in some countries. Returning to good standing usually requires sign-off from a senior manager plus HR, and there is reportedly about a 6-week cooldown before you can be placed back on Focus. Because exiting needs senior approval, some people report being kept in the process for a long time, especially when the org is behind on its URA number.
What is Pivot, and how is it different from Focus?
Pivot is the second, formal, higher-stakes stage that follows Focus if your manager is not satisfied. At Pivot you are handed paperwork and given a short window, commonly about 5 business days, to choose among three options. Focus is the softer coaching phase; Pivot is where the real decision, and the severance math, happens.
What are my options on Pivot?
The Pivot document presents three options: • Leave with payment: resign now for a Tier 1 severance lump sum. Largest cash payment, but unvested RSUs are forfeited. • Improve: stay and work a formal improvement plan (commonly around 30 days) to keep your job. • Leave with a transition period: remain employed for about 60 days at full pay, benefits, and continued RSU vesting, with no separate lump sum. This mirrors a layoff. Because RSUs keep vesting, if you have a vest inside that window this option captures it, and it can be worth more than the lump sum when a vest is imminent. The peer appeal is not a fourth option; it is available only if you choose Improve and do not meet the goals.
How does the Pivot appeal work, and what are my odds?
If you choose Improve and do not meet the goals (according to your manager), you can appeal to a panel of peers, sometimes described as a jury of coworkers who hold similar roles. Reported odds are roughly a 30% chance of winning. Winning removes you from the process; losing sends you back to leaving, at reduced severance. Note that the appeal is a downstream step, not one of the three headline choices.
How is Tier 1 severance calculated?
The Tier 1 'leave with payment' lump sum is widely reported as: 10 weeks of base pay, plus an extra 1% of annual base pay for each year of tenure. It is gross and pre-tax, and 'base pay' means annual base salary only. For example, a $175,000 base with 2 years of tenure works out to about $37,154. Later stages pay less, roughly 50% to 70% less at each step, and unvested RSUs are forfeited when you leave. You can estimate your own number with the calculator on the Focus & Pivot guide.
Can I use medical leave or FMLA to pause Focus or Pivot?
Timing matters, and it changed in late 2025. Leave still pauses Focus: US-based employees report (as of late 2025 and 2026) that going on leave (FMLA or short-term disability) during stage one stops the clock. Pivot is different. Once the Pivot document is presented, starting leave no longer pauses the 5-day decision window; employees report that since around September 2025, if you go on leave after receiving the document and let the 5 days lapse without choosing, you default to the transition option (about 60 days of pay, benefits, and continued vesting, but no severance lump sum) regardless of leave status. An older gap that let people file during the window and pause it is said to have been closed. So if leave is part of your plan, it is safer to arrange it early, during Focus. Even then, leave tends to delay rather than erase the performance narrative, which is usually waiting when you return. Leave law and eligibility vary by country, state, tenure, and hours, and company practice changes. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm your current official policy and consider talking to an employment attorney.
How much am I paid while on medical leave?
While you are on Focus and still working, you receive your normal salary. Once you stop working and go on medical leave, short-term disability is reported to replace roughly 60% of base pay after about a 7-day unpaid waiting period, with pregnancy-related disability reported closer to 100% for a period. Exact percentages, caps, and durations depend on the plan and your location. You may be able to begin leave before you have a doctor's note: US federal rules generally allow at least 15 calendar days to return medical certification, and employees report the leave portal auto-approving about 3 weeks while you gather paperwork. Confirm the current process through official channels.