Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has announced its intention to reduce its workforce by approximately 5% by targeting what it refers to as its 'lowest performers.' This decision is part of the company's strategy to enhance performance management and swiftly address underperforming employees. CEO Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the need to raise the bar on performance standards and expedite the removal of low-performing individuals.
Based on Meta's latest quarterly report, the planned job cuts could impact around 3,600 employees out of its 72,000-strong workforce as of September. The company spokesperson confirmed the accuracy of the reports regarding the impending layoffs.
Zuckerberg highlighted the shift towards more extensive performance-based cuts during the current cycle, indicating a departure from the previous practice of managing out underperforming employees over an extended period.
This announcement comes amidst a series of significant changes within Meta, including the replacement of its top policy executive with a prominent Republican and the recent modifications to its fact-checking programs and hateful conduct policies. The updated policies now permit certain types of content that were previously banned, such as derogatory references to women and transgender or non-binary individuals.
Moreover, Meta recently terminated its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, coinciding with Zuckerberg's appearance on a popular podcast where he discussed the company's evolving strategies. He expressed regret for giving undue credence to media narratives following the 2016 election and acknowledged the erosion of trust resulting from excessive content moderation and fact-checking.
Critics have raised concerns that these policy changes are aimed at aligning with the incoming government and have accused Meta of attempting to appease political figures. The company has undergone significant layoffs in the past, including the dismissal of 11,000 employees in November 2022 and subsequent layoffs in the following year.
