Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, is set to implement its anticipated company-wide layoffs beginning Monday, February 10, 2025, while simultaneously ramping up efforts to recruit machine learning engineers, according to internal memos reviewed by Reuters.
The layoffs, expected to affect approximately 5% of Meta’s workforce, will target underperforming employees, with notifications scheduled to go out at 5 a.m. local time in various countries, including the U.S. Affected staff will receive their notices by the end of the day, though employees in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands will be exempt due to local labor laws. Meta will send out notifications to employees across other regions, including Europe, Asia, and Africa, between February 11 and February 18, 2025.
These cuts, referred to as “performance terminations” by Meta’s Head of People, Janelle Gale, follow the company’s previous announcement in late 2024 about trimming its workforce by eliminating lower-performing positions. However, unlike previous rounds of layoffs, Meta will keep its offices open on Monday and refrain from providing additional updates on the staff reductions.
In addition to the layoffs, Meta is moving forward with an accelerated hiring initiative. A separate memo from Peng Fan, VP of Engineering for Monetization, outlined plans to quickly onboard machine learning engineers and other “business-critical” engineering roles between February 11 and March 13, 2025. This strategic hiring push aligns with Meta’s evolving priorities for 2025, as the company continues to focus on enhancing its artificial intelligence capabilities.
Meta’s decision to streamline its workforce while intensifying its recruitment of machine learning professionals highlights its dual focus: optimizing operations through performance-based staff reductions while bolstering its AI and engineering teams for future growth and innovation.
While the layoffs are expected to streamline Meta’s talent pool, the company is also positioning itself to meet the growing demand for AI expertise as it seeks to remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven market. The combination of restructuring and targeted hiring signals Meta’s ongoing transformation as it adapts to the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
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