Meta has initiated another round of job cuts, affecting 4,000 employees in what the company is framing as “performance terminations.” The layoffs will primarily target those ranked in the bottom two tiers of Meta’s internal evaluation system. Unlike previous layoffs, the company will keep offices open and avoid a large-scale public announcement.
The reductions will roll out in phases, starting with employees in Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and concluding with North and Latin America. However, workers in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands will be exempt due to strict labor laws. This move aligns with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “Year of Efficiency” strategy, which has driven a significant rise in Meta’s stock value.
Internally, the decision has sparked concern, as managers were reportedly instructed to classify at least 12–15% of employees as low performers. Some employees argue that even strong performers are being let go without clear explanations, raising fears that these terminations could harm their reputations when seeking new jobs. Meta aims for 10% “non-regrettable attrition,” combining involuntary cuts with voluntary departures.
Affected employees will receive notifications via both work and personal email and will lose access to company systems within an hour. Severance details will be included in the termination emails.
Beyond layoffs, Meta is restructuring its key divisions. The Facebook and Messenger teams will merge under Tom Alison, while Messenger’s former chief, Loredana Crisan, shifts to Meta’s generative AI division. Reality Labs, the unit behind Meta’s metaverse projects, will also see closer integration with the company’s core business. Meanwhile, Meta is replacing third-party fact-checkers with a system similar to X’s “community notes,” a move critics say is designed to appease former President Trump and his allies.