Meta To Layoff 3600 People? ‘Raise The Bar On Performance…’ Says Mark Zuckerberg

According to AFP (Agence France-Presse) Meta plans to dismiss approximately 3,600 employees identified as low performers, representing 5  per cent of its workforce, and hire new talent in their place, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg. 

"I've decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster," Zuckerberg said.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the importance of maintaining the ‘strongest talent’ to drive the company's vision forward.

Meta: Performance Revamp

Zuckerberg announced a higher standard for performance management, aiming to remove low performers faster. This approach mirrors a trend among U.S. tech giants, with Microsoft recently implementing similar cuts.

The layoffs align with larger changes at Meta. Recent moves include ending the U.S. fact-checking program criticized by conservatives and introducing user-driven content context, akin to features on X (formerly Twitter). 

Meta has also scaled back diversity programs and relaxed moderation rules on hostile content, signaling a shift in strategy. The company has also reduced its diversity programs and loosened content moderation regulations on Facebook and Instagram, notably for some types of abusive speech.

Meta: Political Realignments 

Zuckerberg’s engagement with conservative figures and decisions, such as nominating a Republican for Meta’s public affairs role, reflect a closer alignment with conservative ideologies. 

These changes come as the company navigates a politically charged environment, including Donald Trump ’s anticipated return to the White House.

Meta: Seasonal Layoff 

This isn't Meta's first round of employment layoffs. Meta has had significant layoffs following the Covid-19 epidemic. In November 2022, the corporation lay off approximately 11,000 employees, followed by an additional 10,000 job cuts in succeeding months.

Zuckerberg claimed that Meta and other major tech firms are building AI systems capable of handling sophisticated coding jobs that are presently undertaken by human programmers. He stated ambitions to replace mid-level software developers with artificial intelligence by 2025.