Meta is reportedly planning to cut around five per cent of staff it deems as its lowest performers.
According to Bloomberg, an internal memo from CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated that he had decided to raise performance management standards to “move out low performers faster.”
Zuckerberg explained in the memo that the company usually manages out individuals who do not meet expectations over the course of a year, but now intends to implement "more extensive performance-based cuts" sooner.
It’s reported that Meta has already cut around five per cent of low performers in 2024, but its target for the current "performance cycle" is to reduce another five per cent of employees who have been with the company long enough to receive a performance rating.
Zuckerberg reassured employees that Meta would offer "generous severance."
This policy is part of a broader shift at the company, following the recent announcement that Meta would stop using fact-checkers in the US, opting for a system called Community Notes, similar to X, citing concerns over the political bias of fact-checkers.
Zuckerberg also revealed that the company was scaling back its automated content moderation systems, arguing that they were removing too much content, which he considered "censorship."
The changes are aimed at restoring "free expression" on its platforms.
These moves have faced criticism from online safety advocates, who fear it will lead to the spread of misinformation and harmful content.
Additionally, Meta has stated it will end its diversity, equality, and inclusion programs.
Zuckerberg also suggested that companies needed more "masculine energy."