Meta✴ plans to cut about 5% of its workforce as part of a performance-based layoff program. The vacant positions are expected to be filled with new, more qualified personnel. This is stated in an internal letter sent to all company employees.
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Meta✴ employed about 72,000 people as of September, so the cuts will affect about 3,600 employees, Bloomberg reported. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company intends to increase performance management requirements and get rid of low-performing employees more quickly. “We usually part ways with those who do not meet our expectations during the year, but this round we will make larger cuts based on performance evaluation,” he said.
When employees are notified of layoffs depends on their location. Workers in the United States will receive notifications on February 10, and employees in other countries will be notified at a later date. The layoffs will only affect those who have been with the company long enough to undergo a performance review. Zuckerberg stressed that Meta✴, as before, will offer “generous severance pay” to laid-off employees.
The company had previously cut 10,000 positions. Now, in accordance with the strategy announced by Zuckerberg back in 2023, the emphasis has shifted to improving the quality of staff. In a message to managers, Zuckerberg said the purpose of the cuts was to ensure the availability of “the strongest talent” and the ability to attract new specialists.
Overall, based on the results of the performance assessment, Meta✴ plans to reduce the total number of employees by 10%, including an additional 5% reduction due to natural attrition in the past year. Decisions on the number of employees in each division will be made taking into account last year’s reductions.
Amid all these changes, Zuckerberg also announced a number of other initiatives, including eliminating fact checking on his platforms (Facebook✴, Instagram✴ and WhatsApp) in the US and changes to policies regarding hate speech. Bloomberg notes that these steps coincide with efforts to improve relations with US President-elect Donald Trump, whose inauguration Zuckerberg plans to attend.
The head of Meta✴ also said that the company is preparing for a busy year, focusing on artificial intelligence technologies and smart glasses. It is worth noting that Meta✴ is not the only large company that started the year with layoffs. Last week it became known that Microsoft is also planning to lay off employees with low professional productivity.