I'm seeing lots about people put on plans at work to improve performance and this resoundingly being called out as bullying. I'm not in a position to put anyone on a plan like this myself, but do know it's the next step (from my manager) for someone who reports to me. I don't particularly relish being part of something that can utterly ruin someone's confidence - whether from how they will be treated or the anticipation and uncertainty of what it means. Is it unanimously an underhand tactic by bosses, and if not, why do strangers on forums rush to defend workers and reassure them they don't need it and it's not them?
Background of the person in question is refusing to do parts of her job, leaving things and not mentioning them until the last minute so someone senior has to drop everything else and save the day, complaining to managers and colleagues about responsibilities outlined in her job description, demanding things planned and put in place for her before she will attempt, demanding time to have things explained at length, failing to read correspondence so interrupting other meetings and tasks when she can't manage, crying when given coaching, arguing with senior staff and swearing at and insulting people behind their backs and to their faces, which has been disciplined.
However, we don't have time to do her job for her and she's unwilling to do it, and she's still not being held accountable for improving, but is being genuinely supported above what is reasonable. When management take the next step, I'm sure she'll feel hard done by and be told by anyone she cries to that it's not her fault, but I can't help but feel it really will be and the decision hasn't been taken lightly.