“4,000 Workers Cut in a ‘Hardcore’ Performance-Based Purge, Leaving Many Blindsided”
Meta has laid off approximately 4,000 employees in what CEO Mark Zuckerberg described as a performance-driven reduction. However, many affected workers claim they were given positive feedback just months ago, making their sudden termination an unexpected blow.
Zuckerberg initially announced the layoffs in January, explaining that Meta was taking a more rigorous approach to performance management—one that mirrors the cost-cutting strategies of tech billionaire Elon Musk. The move, which slashed 5% of Meta’s workforce, was intended to remove so-called low performers.
Yet, multiple employees insist they had no warning of their impending termination. Several reported that their most recent performance reviews rated them “At or Above Expectations,” a solid mid-tier assessment in Meta’s grading system.
“We were told that if we were on the chopping block, we would already know,” one laid-off employee told Business Insider. “But I was completely blindsided. My manager had been telling me I was doing great, with no areas of concern.”
Performance Ratings in Question
Many of the affected workers say they saw their performance ratings suddenly downgraded in late 2024, just in time for the job cuts. One employee shared documents on Meta’s internal forum, Workplace, showing that they had consistently met or exceeded expectations for four years before receiving an unexpected downgrade. Another worker, who had been on parental leave, was fired shortly after returning—despite receiving an “At or Above Expectations” rating earlier in the year.
“I am super confused about how I got terminated,” the employee wrote on Workplace. “I still think this is an error.”
Internal Policies and Growing Concerns
While Zuckerberg defended the cuts as a necessary step to “move out low performers,” internal guidance reportedly allowed managers to include employees from higher performance tiers if they could not meet their layoff quotas with low performers alone.
This policy has left some employees worried about how the layoffs will impact their careers. “The hardest part is Meta publicly stating they’re cutting low performers,” said one affected worker. “It feels like we have the scarlet letter on our backs.”
Others have raised concerns about a lack of transparency in the decision-making process. One former employee claimed they were dropped two full performance tiers in a single review cycle without any prior feedback. “I would certainly challenge Meta’s narrative about cutting only low performers,” they said. “Based on my past feedback, I have a really, really difficult time believing I was a low performer.”
Meta has yet to publicly respond to these concerns. However, as the company moves forward with its new “hardcore” performance management approach, employees—both current and former—are left questioning the fairness of the process and the future of their careers in tech.
