Meta to cut 5% of workforce and target ‘lowest performers’

Meta is preparing to cut about 5% of its global workforce, as the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp looks to drop “low performers faster.” In a memo to staff, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he had made the decision to speed up the company’s regular performance-based cuts in anticipation of an “intense year.” Zuckerberg said the company would “backfill” the roles later in 2025. Meta, which employs about 72,000 people globally, did not say how the cuts would be distributed around the world. Workers in the US who are affected will know by 10 February, according to the memo. Those outside the US will be informed “later.” Zuckerberg wrote: “This is going to be an intense year, and I want to make sure we have the best people on our teams . . . I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster.”