The beginning of the work week turned out to be a life-changing point for around 3,600 employees at Meta, as it coincides with their final day of employment. The company on Monday started to issue termination notices to what it labels as the lowest performers.
It comes out as a strategy aiming to expedite their exit from the organization. A business lecturer at the University of New Haven, Professor James Mohs, commented on the situation, “It seems they are grappling with some substantial financial challenges. The cuts are not limited to lower-level employees; even C-suite executives are affected. This indicates a shift towards greater efficiency within the company.”
The layoffs which span multiple countries worldwide have been categorized as ‘performance terminations’ by the parent organisation of Facebook, Meta. While U.S. employees are getting their notifications now, those in over a dozen other nations across Europe, Africa, and Asia are expected to be informed between February 11 and 18.
As reported in internal communications from the company, employees in Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands will be safe from these layoffs because of local labor laws.
Mohs elaborated, “They have established agreements with various governments that dictate certain protocols. This is more about national regulations than individual circumstances.”
In response to these layoffs, the company leaders have indicated a focus on boosting the recruitment of machine learning engineers and other essential roles within the business.
Mohs further noted, “They’re zeroing in on those who are not meeting performance expectations. There are indications that Mr. Zuckerberg has raised the bar for what constitutes low performance. This could encompass anything from a lack of in-office presence and engagement to merely working from home without contributing significantly.”
Experts have pointed out that remote work can hinder productivity which could lead many companies to reconsider or eliminate this option entirely.
Business Journalist
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