"Cruelest Company": Meta Employees Slam Layoffs, Say Move Was Not "Performance Driven"

Following another round of layoffs at Meta, employees are publicly criticizing the company's leadership regarding the selection process. Despite Meta's claims of "performance-based layoffs," numerous employees allege they were terminated despite having a history of meeting performance expectations.

"The hardest part is Meta publicly stating they're cutting low performers, so it feels like we have the scarlet letter on our backs," an employee told Business Insider on the condition of anonymity. "People need to know we're not underperformers."

On Blind, an anonymous platform for verified tech employees, a recently laid-off Meta employee reported that individuals with nearly a decade of experience were among those terminated. The user claimed that "dozens of people with pristine history and exceeds rating" who had taken parental or medical leave were also laid off, questioning the legality of such actions. The post described the decision as "cruel," stating that many long-tenured employees (8-10 years) with multiple "AE" ratings were "ruthlessly axed," suggesting that financial considerations, rather than performance, were the driving factor. The user cautioned against joining the company, alleging that CEO Mark Zuckerberg "doesn't care about his employees. Only the company."

"Meta is now the cruelest tech company out there," wrote a third Meta employee.

Adding to the discussion, an Amazon employee remarked that Meta now seems to cater only to young workers without families-those who can focus solely on making money.

Earlier this month, Meta announced plans to lay off over 3,000 employees, primarily targeting those with low performance ratings. CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the move, stating that the company aims to "raise the bar on performance" and remove underperformers more quickly.

The job cuts impact roughly 5% of Meta's workforce, which stood at 72,400 employees as of September. Zuckerberg has already cautioned that 2024 and 2025 will be "challenging years" for the company. While Meta continues to push forward with AI and metaverse projects, these layoffs highlight the growing pressure even tech giants face to remain profitable and efficient.