Multiple teams at Meta experienced layoffs on Wednesday, as confirmed by the company. These changes were part of a resource reallocation strategy to align with Meta's long-term goals and location strategy. Affected teams include Reality Labs, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Impacted Employees
- Jane Manchun Wong, a software engineer known for revealing unannounced features in Meta apps, was among those laid off. She had joined the Threads team in 2023.
- Other employees from Facebook, recruiting, legal operations, and design also announced their layoffs on social media.
Company Statements
- Meta stated that Threads, recruiting, and legal operations were not impacted by the reorganization.
- The company did not disclose the number of affected employees or the specific organizations involved.
Employee Options
- Some employees were offered new positions under different contracts or a severance package. Several chose the severance package.
- Notifications were delivered via video calls, and some affected employees received six weeks of severance pay.
Historical Context
- Meta has been downsizing its workforce following aggressive hiring during the pandemic.
- In 2022, Meta laid off 13% of its workforce (11,000 employees).
- In 2023, another 10,000 employees were laid off, and 5,000 open roles were withdrawn.
These layoffs are part of Meta's ongoing efforts to rightsize the company and better align resources with strategic objectives.
