Meta to Lay Off 3,600 Low Performers, Plans New Hires

San Francisco: Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is set to lay off approximately 3,600 employees identified as low performers, replacing them with new hires, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday.

The move, confirmed by Meta to AFP, follows CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to implement stricter performance standards. The layoffs will impact about 5% of Meta’s workforce, which totaled approximately 72,400 employees as of September.

“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” Zuckerberg stated. He explained that the performance-based cuts aim to strengthen the company’s talent pool and create opportunities to “bring new people in.”

Performance-driven dismissals are not uncommon among major U.S. corporations. For instance, Microsoft recently announced similar workforce reductions, affecting less than 1% of its employees, as reported by Business Insider.

These layoffs come amid broader organizational shifts at Meta, coinciding with preparations for Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20. Zuckerberg has recently shown a closer alignment with conservative viewpoints and political figures, including hosting dinner meetings with Trump and appointing a Republican to lead Meta’s public affairs.

Additionally, the company has made significant policy changes. Last week, Zuckerberg announced the termination of Meta’s U.S. fact-checking program, which was designed to combat misinformation on its platforms. The initiative had drawn criticism from conservatives who argued it amounted to censorship.

Under a new system, users will be allowed to add contextual information to posts, akin to features on X (formerly Twitter), a concept championed by Elon Musk, the platform’s owner.

Meta has also scaled back its diversity programs and relaxed content moderation guidelines on Facebook and Instagram, particularly in handling certain types of hostile speech. These changes signal a shift in the company’s strategic direction and operational priorities.

Author picture

Share On:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Related Posts
Latest Magazines
Recent Posts