Meta will lay off approximately 5% of its “lowest performers” and plans to hire for these roles later this year, according to a company spokesperson on Tuesday. CEO Mark Zuckerberg also warned employees of additional job cuts in the future to “raise the bar” on performance management.
“I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster,” the exec wrote. The year ahead will be “intense,” Zuckerberg highlighted.
“We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year,” Zuckerberg also wrote, “but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.”
As of September 30, Meta employed more than 72,000 people. The company, like many in the tech industry, is focusing investments on artificial intelligence (AI), with billions already allocated to AI infrastructure, and further expenses expected this year.
In 2022, Meta implemented several restructuring measures, leading to about 11,000 job cuts. Zuckerberg had previously dubbed 2023 the “Year of Efficiency,” announcing plans to eliminate around 10,000 positions.
Recently, Meta made significant changes, including scrapping its U.S. fact-checking program and easing restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender identity in response to conservative pushback, particularly as former President Donald Trump’s return looms.
Bloomberg News initially reported on Meta’s latest layoffs earlier on Tuesday.