Meta to fireplace 3,600 staff; Zuckerberg says ‘determined to boost the bar’

Jan 15, 2025 11:51 AM IST

CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated the performance-based cuts are meant to make sure that the corporate has the “strongest expertise” and is ready to “carry new folks in.”

Meta plans to dismiss roughly 3,600 staff recognized as low performers and exchange them with new hires, in line with an inside memo reported by Bloomberg on Tuesday.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that he has determined to shortly transfer out low-performers from the corporate.(AP)

The corporate, which owns Fb, Instagram and WhatsApp, confirmed to AFP that CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s choice will have an effect on 5 % of its workforce.

Meta had roughly 72,400 staff as of September.

“I’ve determined to boost the bar on efficiency administration and transfer out low-performers quicker,” Zuckerberg stated.

The CEO stated the performance-based cuts are meant to make sure that the corporate has the “strongest expertise” and is ready to “carry new folks in.”

Efficiency-based dismissals are a standard observe amongst main US firms. Microsoft introduced related cuts final week affecting lower than one % of its workforce, Enterprise Insider reported.

The layoffs come amid broader modifications at Meta, prematurely of Donald Trump returning to the White Home on January 20.

Zuckerberg has lately aligned extra intently with conservative concepts and political figures, together with having dinner conferences with Trump and nominating a Republican as Meta’s head of public affairs.

Final week, Zuckerberg introduced the top of the corporate’s US fact-checking program that aimed to fight misinformation on its platforms. This system had confronted criticism from conservative voices who seen it as censorship.

Underneath the brand new system, customers will be capable to add context to posts, just like options on X, previously Twitter, and championed by Elon Musk, the platform’s proprietor.

The corporate has additionally scaled again its variety initiatives and relaxed content material moderation guidelines on Fb and Instagram, notably concerning sure types of hostile speech.