Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has announced plans to lay off approximately 3,600 employees identified as low performers.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the company will replace these employees with new hires, aiming to raise performance standards and ensure the strongest talent.
Performance-Based Cuts
Mark Zuckerberg emphasized that the decision to dismiss low-performing employees is part of a broader strategy to raise the bar on performance management.
He mentioned that such performance-based cuts are intended to ensure that Meta has the “strongest talent” and is able to “bring new people in”.
This move aligns with common practices among major US corporations, including recent similar cuts by Microsoft.
The layoffs will affect about 5% of Meta’s workforce, which stood at approximately 72,400 employees as of September.
Mark noted that the company typically manages out underperforming employees over the course of a year.
However, the company is implementing more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.
The company will notify employees in the United States of their status by February 10, and will inform international employees later.
Broader Changes at Meta
The layoffs come amid broader changes at Meta, including the end of the company’s US fact-checking program and scaling back of diversity initiatives.
Mark has also relaxed content moderation rules on Facebook and Instagram, particularly regarding certain forms of hostile speech.
These changes have drawn both praise and criticism. Some view them as aligning Meta more closely with conservative ideas and political figures.
This is not Meta’s first wave of job cuts.
The company laid off over 11,000 employees in November 2022 and cut an additional 10,000 jobs in subsequent months.
The recent announcement follows a series of policy shifts. It reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and focus on high performance.
Mark stated that the company will provide “generous severance” to employees who are laid off.
The company plans to replace the outgoing employees with new hires later this year, aiming to maintain a strong and capable workforce.
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