Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is set to reveal information about job reductions on Wednesday. This is a part of a long-term effort to downsize and restructure, resulting in the reduction of 10,000 staff members across various rounds of layoffs.
An internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post, states that Lori Goler, Meta’s head of human resources, informed technical team members that their jobs will be affected by the cuts. In addition to the job cuts, Meta plans to reorganize teams and management hierarchies to streamline operations.
Various departments, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Reality Labs, will be impacted by the restructuring. Goler also suggested that some employees avoid going to the office unless it is essential for their role. Senior leaders made the layoff decisions as part of Meta’s broader restructuring effort.
According to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post, Lori Goler, Meta’s head of human resources, acknowledges that it will be difficult to say goodbye to colleagues who have contributed significantly to the company. She believes that it will take time for everyone to process the news, but she hopes that the teams will provide support and care for one another.
Within an hour of Goler’s note, thousands of employees responded on an internal forum, with many posting crying and saluting emojis.
People familiar with the matter believe that Meta is expected to lay off several highly skilled employees, including engineers and technical staff, who have traditionally enjoyed job security, high salaries, autonomy, and the freedom to work on their desired projects.
The layoffs mark a rare moment of vulnerability for engineers at Meta, given the intense competition for talent in Silicon Valley.
Dave Arnold, a spokesperson for Meta, confirmed the existence of the memo but declined to provide further details or comments. According to the memo written by Lori Goler, the affected employees will be informed on Wednesday morning, although the process may vary for workers located outside North America.
Meta leaders will also reveal how the company’s divisions may be reorganized after the layoffs. Some employees may receive new managers, according to the memo.
Meta Targeting Highly Skilled Employees
Last month, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, announced that the company would restructure its technical teams and announce layoffs in late April.
In late May, the company will cut positions in supporting business roles. Meta intends to eliminate about 10,000 jobs and will not fill 5,000 previously anticipated job openings.
In March, Zuckerberg indicated that the layoffs would disproportionately affect business support staff and create an optimal ratio of engineers to other roles, ensuring that the company remains primarily focused on technology.
These new job cuts follow the November workforce reduction, which eliminated 11,000 jobs or about 13% of Meta’s workforce, marking the first widespread layoffs in the company’s history.
According to a report by The Washington Post, the upcoming job cuts have caused anxiety among Meta’s workforce, prompting many employees to question the company’s leadership and direction. Some remaining workers are actively seeking new employment opportunities, while others are worried about potential changes to their jobs.
Meta is facing several business challenges, including competition from TikTok for advertising dollars and users. The company’s ability to offer targeted advertising has been impacted by new privacy regulations from Apple, and some digital advertisers have reduced their spending due to rising inflation and slowing demand in the e-commerce market.
To address these challenges, Mark Zuckerberg has stated that one of the company’s top priorities is to become more streamlined and efficient.
Meta’s top executives, as well as personnel in the human resources, legal, and finance departments, have been asked to redesign the organizational charts of internal organizations. The company is also reducing its hierarchy to decrease the number of management levels between interns and Zuckerberg, as well as canceling lower-priority projects.
Despite these economic difficulties, Meta claims to be continuing to pursue innovations. In February, Zuckerberg announced the creation of a new internal working group focused on investing in generative artificial intelligence.
