Meta Layoffs - Employees Challenge "Performance-Based" Layoffs

Meta's decision to lay off about 5% of their workforce globally will affect around 3,600 employees across Europe, Asia, and the US, as per news reports by Business Insider.

The Meta layoffs have sparked controversy as former employees dispute the company's claims about targeting poor performers. The tech giant's decision to cut jobs worldwide has hit some workers who say they had sterling track records.

"I was blindsided," wrote Elana Reman Safner, a product counsel who was let go shortly after returning from maternity leave. Safner's LinkedIn post challenged Meta's official line about the cuts, noting she had consistently met or exceeded expectations during her three-year tenure.

"I have never received a review below 'Meets All,'" Safner wrote. "Many laid off today have similar stories – a history of good performance and a recent leave of absence."

The cuts, affecting about 5% of Meta's workforce across Europe, Asia, and the US, come as the company pushes to invest more heavily in artificial intelligence. However, Safner's account of life at Meta hints at deeper issues within the company culture.

"Here's what I won't miss: my career being at the mercy of product decisions I couldn't influence, the mental overload, 34-page one-pagers, juggling 62 open tabs, killing off beloved products for not being 'moonshot' enough for Zuck," she wrote.

Despite her frustrations with company leadership, Safner praised her immediate colleagues, particularly the Reality Labs Legal team. "I've never worked anywhere where I could see myself being friends with every person outside of work," she noted, calling the team a "family."

Meta has maintained that the layoffs target underperforming employees, though the company has not responded to specific claims from workers like Safner, who question this characterization.