In a surprising move, Mark Zuckerberg has slashed 3,600 jobs at Meta, citing a need to eliminate “low performers” from the company.

However, former employees are pushing back on this claim, arguing that the layoffs had little to do with performance and everything to do with cutting costs in favor of AI initiatives.

A Corporate Facade?

Many impacted workers say the “low performer” label is nothing more than a convenient excuse.

Former Meta content manager Kaila Curry is one of them. She insists that despite receiving positive performance reviews, she was still let go.

“This wasn’t about performance; it was about workforce reduction in favor of AI,” Curry explained.

She even referenced a past remark from Zuckerberg, jokingly questioning if she lacked “masculine energy.”

Curry noted that she had consistently received feedback that she was doing well, was never placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), and worked weekends to meet expectations.

Despite her dedication, she was still included in the mass layoffs.

Zuckerberg’s Justification for the Cuts

In mid-January, Zuckerberg announced that Meta would be “raising the bar” on performance management, aiming to move out underperforming employees more quickly.

His goal was to eliminate about 5% of the workforce.

An internal memo, obtained by Bloomberg, stated:

“We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year. But now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle.”

However, many former employees argue that this reasoning doesn’t hold up.

More Employees Speak Out

Meta product designer Steven S. also took to LinkedIn to share his experience.

“I was let go today—but not because I was a ‘low performer,'” he wrote.

He, too, pointed out that the public framing of the layoffs is misleading, arguing that many highly capable employees were caught up in the cuts.

A Disruptive Year at Meta

Curry had been with Meta for just one year, managing weekend content operations in San Francisco.

She originally applied for a role in New York but was given an ultimatum—relocate to the West Coast or lose the opportunity.

“I took the chance because the move was covered, but once I got there, I realized I was the only one on my team required to be in the office,” she shared.

During her time at Meta, she experienced two major reorganizations and worked under five different managers.

She described it as a chaotic environment that didn’t set employees up for long-term success.

Ethical Concerns Over Content Decisions

Curry also raised concerns about Meta’s shifting content policies, particularly those affecting LGBTQ+ users.

“Perhaps I became too vocal when our shift to young adult (YA) content involved removing safeguards that protected LGBTQ+ users,” she said.

She worried that the platform’s changes could contribute to higher suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth and felt compelled to speak up.

Meta’s Focus on AI

Meanwhile, Meta has been ramping up its hiring of machine-learning engineers as it prioritizes the development of artificial intelligence.

While Zuckerberg presents the layoffs as a performance-based decision, many former employees believe the real motive is to cut costs and shift resources toward AI-driven initiatives.

As more employees share their stories, the true nature of Meta’s workforce reduction continues to unfold.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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