Meta Announces 5% Workforce Cuts in Preparation for “Intense Year” Ahead
Meta is preparing to cut around 5% of its workforce, with a focus on its lowest-performing employees, CNBC confirmed on Tuesday. CEO Mark Zuckerberg informed staff about the decision in an internal memo posted on the company’s Workplace forum.
Zuckerberg emphasized that 2025 would be an “intense year” for the company, urging the team to step up performance and align with Meta’s future goals. The company plans to exit approximately 5% of its lowest-performing staff. Meta, which employs over 72,000 people, will notify affected workers by February 10. Employees let go will receive severance packages, similar to those offered during previous layoffs.
These upcoming cuts mark Meta’s largest reduction since 2022-2023, when it eliminated nearly a quarter of its workforce—21,000 jobs—due to restructuring efforts. Bloomberg was the first to report on the cuts, which come after other significant operational changes within Meta.
In addition to the layoffs, Zuckerberg has made waves in other areas, particularly with the company’s approach to content moderation. Last week, Meta announced the end of its third-party fact-checking program in favor of a “Community Notes” model, similar to that used on Elon Musk’s platform X. Zuckerberg shared that this shift reflects a cultural pivot toward prioritizing free speech, aiming to reduce errors, simplify policies, and restore open expression.
Below is the full internal memo from Mark Zuckerberg, obtained by CNBC:
Meta is working on some of the most important technologies in the world, from AI to the next generation of glasses and social media. As we face an intense year ahead, I want to ensure we have the best people on our teams.
To that end, I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers more quickly. In the past, we’ve given employees up to a year to meet expectations, but now we’re making more performance-based cuts during this cycle, with the intention to backfill these roles in 2025.
We will not let go of everyone who didn’t meet expectations if we see potential for improvement. For those impacted, we’ll provide generous severance, consistent with our previous layoffs.
Managers will receive further guidance ahead of calibrations. Affected employees will be notified by February 10 (later for those outside the U.S.).
Meta’s decision to streamline its workforce is aimed at aligning with its broader vision for the future and improving the overall performance of its teams in the face of an increasingly competitive tech landscape.
