Meta announces a 5% workforce reduction, impacting 4,000 employees, while accelerating AI-driven hiring in line with its strategic shift toward the future of digital technology.
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| Meta implements a 5% workforce reduction globally, impacting 4,000 employees, as part of its strategy to prioritize AI-driven innovation and improve performance standards. Image: Pond5 |
Menlo Park, California, USA — February 10, 2025:
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has initiated performance-based layoffs, reducing its global workforce by approximately 5%, or around 4,000 employees. This decision aligns with CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy to enhance performance standards and streamline company operations.
Affected employees are being notified via work and personal emails, which include details about severance packages. Access to company systems is revoked within an hour of notification. In the U.S., notifications began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time. Employees in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands will not face immediate cuts due to local labor laws and will undergo their own performance management processes.
While notifications in the U.S. are the first to be sent, employees across other regions, including parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, will be notified between February 11 and 18. The layoffs are expected to impact roughly 4,000 individuals globally.
In parallel with these layoffs, Meta is ramping up recruitment for machine learning engineers and other key technical roles. This hiring surge, focused on AI-driven initiatives, will take place from February 11 to March 13 as part of Meta’s long-term strategy for 2025.
The layoffs have sparked anxiety among Meta’s workforce, with some employees expressing concerns over a potential "culture of fear" and the long-term effects on morale. Many worry that the performance-based nature of the cuts could stigmatize departing employees, potentially hindering their future job opportunities.
Meta’s layoffs are part of a broader trend within the tech industry, where companies are reassessing their workforce in response to economic pressures and the rapid growth of AI technology. Other tech giants, such as Google and Microsoft, have also conducted similar layoffs and restructuring efforts to prioritize AI advancements.
As Meta navigates this transition, it remains focused on fostering a high-performance culture and investing in the next generation of technologies to shape the future of digital interaction.