Meta Platforms (META.O), the parent company of Facebook, is set to initiate company-wide layoffs next week while simultaneously fast-tracking the recruitment of machine learning engineers, according to internal memos reviewed by Reuters.
Layoff notifications will begin rolling out at 5 a.m. local time on Monday across most countries, including the U.S., as outlined in a memo from Meta’s Head of People, Janelle Gale. However, employees in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands will be exempt due to local employment regulations. In more than a dozen other countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa, affected staff will receive notifications between February 11 and February 18.
A Meta spokesperson declined to comment on the internal communications.
The company had previously announced plans to reduce its workforce by approximately 5%, targeting what it described as its “lowest performers.” Some of these roles are expected to be backfilled. In the memo, Gale referred to the layoffs as “performance terminations,” a term first reported by The Information.
Unlike past rounds of layoffs, Meta will keep its offices open on Monday and will not release any additional public updates regarding the job cuts, Gale noted.
In a separate internal message, Peng Fan, VP of Engineering for Monetization, urged employees to support an accelerated hiring process focused on machine learning engineers and other “business-critical” engineering positions. This expedited recruitment effort will run from February 11 through March 13.
“Thank you for your continued support in helping us achieve our accelerated hiring goals and better align with our company’s priorities for 2025,” Fan wrote
