Meta has begun laying off employees across various departments, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs. These cuts seem to coincide with reorganizations of specific teams rather than a mass companywide layoff. Some Meta employees have started posting that they’ve been laid off.
this is such a good column:
"why is it that the south and the west of the US, the places most exposed to fires, floods, hurricanes and extreme heat, are also the places where Americans have been moving in droves over the past few years….?"https://t.co/Hk6AJB0qWV
— Jim Pickard 🐋 (@PickardJE) October 18, 2024
Among them is Jane Manchun Wong, who gained notoriety for reporting on unannounced features coming to apps.
Meta offers staff $25 vouchers for lunch from Uber Eats etc. It turns out that some used the vouchers to buy deoderant etc. They've been sacked.
A) This seems v harsh
B) This @FT story suggests one of those misusing the vouchers was earning £400k 🤯https://t.co/oFEc3PjXaC— Harry Wallop (@hwallop) October 17, 2024
Company spokesperson Dave Arnold said in a statement, “Today, a few teams at Meta are making changes to ensure resources are aligned with their long-term strategic goals and location strategy. This includes moving some teams to different locations and moving some employees to different roles.
In situations like this, when a role is eliminated, we work hard to find other opportunities for impacted employees.”
I spoke to @FT about Elon Musk’s attachment to Donald Trump. A second Trump presidency could see the US become more pro-EV but a loss for Trump could signal a reputational hit for Musk, Tesla and, perhaps, the wider EV industry. https://t.co/1BjvcYAnRv
— Dr. Andy Palmer (@AndyatAuto) October 20, 2024
This new round of layoffs follows a small series of job cuts in the company’s Reality Labs division.
Meta’s strategic team realignment
Meta first laid off 11,000 employees following overoptimism about the company’s growth coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It then announced cuts of 10,000 more people as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “year of efficiency.”
The cuts come after Zuckerberg declared 2023 to be the “year of efficiency.” Meta, currently valued at $1.5 trillion, offers staff free breakfast, lunch, and dinner at its larger offices. Employees at smaller offices without staff canteens receive vouchers for delivery apps like Grubhub, intended for use while working at the office. However, some staff members were found using these vouchers to order groceries and cosmetics.
In some instances, staff exploited the scheme to purchase items like wine glasses and laundry detergent. Initially, employees received warnings about misusing the meal vouchers, but those who continued were dismissed last week. This development coincides with broader layoffs across Meta’s businesses.
The company cited restructuring and realignment with long-term strategic goals as reasons for the job cuts, which follow a significant reduction in workforce last year aimed at increasing efficiency.
