Meta expected to lay off 5 percent of workforce ahead of 'intense year'
Meta is planning to lay off about 5 percent of its workforce by targeting the company's lowest performers in preparation for what CEO Mark Zuckerberg said will be an "intense year."
Zuckerberg, in an internal memo to employees Tuesday, said he made the choice to "raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster."
The memo was first reported by Bloomberg. A Meta spokesperson confirmed Bloomberg's report, while emphasizing Zuckerberg told employees the vacant positions will be filled with new employees later this year.
“We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year,” Zuckerberg added, “but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle."
He said not every employee who "did not meet expectations for the last period" will be laid off if the company is "optimistic about their future performance."
Those who are laid off will receive a "generous severance," the Meta CEO added. Employees impacted in the U.S. are expected to be notified by February 10 while those outside of the country will be told at a later date.
As of the end of September, Meta employed more than 72,000 people, meaning a 5 percent cut could impact about 3,600 jobs.
The parent company of Facebook and Instagram has carried out numerous layoffs, starting with its first round in November 2022, when more than 11,000 employees were laid off. Months after this, the company cut around 10,000 more employees.
Tuesday's news follows a dramatic week for the company and Zuckerberg, who announced last week Meta will be eliminating its fact-checking system in an embrace of free speech.
He also announced a slew of other content moderation changes, including shifts in its policies on divisive issues like immigration and gender and its loosening of hate speech and abuse rules.
The move was quickly embraced by several Republican figures, while many Democrats slammed Zuckerberg as attempting to appease President-elect Trump ahead of Inauguration Day.
Later in the week, Meta announced it is slashing the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) team and rolling back several related programs.
Shares of Meta fell Tuesday near their lows amid the news over layoffs.
Topics
-
Meta announces 5% cuts in preparation for 'intense year' — read the internal memo
Meta will cut about 5% of its staff, focusing on its lowest-performing workers, CNBC confirmed.CNBC - 5h -
Meta announces 5% cuts in preparation for 'intense year.' Read the internal memo.
Meta is set to cut about 5% of its workforce, focusing on the company’s lowest-performing staffers, CNBC confirmed Tuesday.NBC News - 9h -
Brown-Forman laying off 648 people as stock price hits 10-year low and sales decline
Jack Daniels whiskey maker Brown-Forman Corp. said Tuesday it would cut 12% of its work force or about 648 jobs in the face of a 10-year-low in its stock price and four straight quarters of ...MarketWatch - 13h -
Meta to end programs aimed at diversifying workforce
Meta on Friday told employees that its plans to end a number of internal programs designed to increase the company’s hiring of diverse candidates, the latest dramatic change ahead of ...NBC News - 4d -
Washington Post Lays Off 4% of Its Work Force
The layoffs will affect employees across The Post’s business operations, not its newsroom.The New York Times - Jan. 7 -
Washington Post cutting 4 percent of workforce
The Washington Post plans to cut nearly 4 percent of its total workforce in the coming days, the company said Tuesday. A Post spokesperson said the cuts are part of plans to make larger changes ...The Hill - Jan. 7 -
‘Virtual employees’ could join workforce as soon as this year, OpenAI boss says
Sam Altman says tools that carry out jobs autonomously, known as AI agents, could transform business output. Virtual employees could join workforces this year and transform how companies work, ...The Guardian - Jan. 6 -
Washington Post expected to lay off dozens of staffers in coming week – report
‘Cuts will be deep’, media reporter writes, after paper faced scrutiny for halting endorsement of Harris in October. Dozens of employees are expected to be laid off at the Washington Post in the ...The Guardian - Jan. 6 -
The Year Ahead
There’s an empty calendar spread out before us. What meaning will we give to it?The New York Times - Jan. 4 -
5 big lobbying battles ahead
Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy The Big Story K Street gears up for Trump 2.0 Lobbyists will have their hands full in 2025 with ...The Hill - Jan. 2
More from The Hill
-
Jeffries: With narrow margin, House GOP can’t ‘pass anything close’ to bill Johnson floating
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) argued House Republicans, with their narrow margin, won’t be able to pass “anything close” to what Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been floating. ...The Hill - 49m -
Here are the confirmed attendees at Trump’s inauguration
President-elect Trump’s Inauguration Day is less than a week away and he’s begun to plan who will attend various events in Washington to mark his return to the White House. Trump has invited many ...The Hill - 1h -
California Democrat hits FEMA over assistance claim denials: 'That's not right'
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), whose district has been damaged by the Eaton Fire, criticized FEMA for reportedly rejecting disaster assistance claims because of a lack of insurance information. "I am ...The Hill - 1h -
Democratic governor open to working with Trump: 'I'm not the leader of the resistance'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signaled he is open to working with President-elect Trump, saying he is "not the leader of the resistance" and his priority for the incoming administration is to partner ...The Hill - 2h -
Ernst will vote for Hegseth, handing Trump big win
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a key member of the Senate Armed Services Committee who has championed women serving in combat roles, announced Tuesday that she will vote for Pete Hegseth, ...The Hill - 3h
More in Politics
-
‘If you want to take it outside’: Rep. Nancy Mace challenges Rep. Jasmine Crockett at House hearing
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, got into a heated exchange at a House hearing Tuesday that culminated with Mace challenging Crockett by asking if she wanted to “take it ...NBC News - 17m -
Jeffries: With narrow margin, House GOP can’t ‘pass anything close’ to bill Johnson floating
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) argued House Republicans, with their narrow margin, won’t be able to pass “anything close” to what Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has been floating. ...The Hill - 49m -
Here are the confirmed attendees at Trump’s inauguration
President-elect Trump’s Inauguration Day is less than a week away and he’s begun to plan who will attend various events in Washington to mark his return to the White House. Trump has invited many ...The Hill - 1h -
California Democrat hits FEMA over assistance claim denials: 'That's not right'
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), whose district has been damaged by the Eaton Fire, criticized FEMA for reportedly rejecting disaster assistance claims because of a lack of insurance information. "I am ...The Hill - 1h -
Democratic governor open to working with Trump: 'I'm not the leader of the resistance'
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) signaled he is open to working with President-elect Trump, saying he is "not the leader of the resistance" and his priority for the incoming administration is to partner ...The Hill - 2h