Meta lays off employees across platforms including WhatsApp, Instagram and more

Meta has recently cut jobs in various teams. According to the media reports, unlike a large-scale company-wide layoff, these cuts appear to be tied to restructuring within particular teams.

In Short

• Meta announces layoffs across Instagram, WhatsApp, Reality Labs
• Some employees offered new roles or severance pay
• Tech industry faces widespread layoffs due to economic pressures

Recently, Meta has announced lay-offs across the Meta-verse, including teams working for Instagram, WhatsApp, and Reality Labs. As per the reports, these lay-offs took place to reallocate resources within the company. A report published by TechCrunch, stated that these lay-offs impacted employees from teams such as Threads, recruiting, legal operations, and design, among others. Meta spokesperson Dave Arnold explained that the company is reallocating resources to align with its long-term objectives, which involves reorganising teams and transitioning employees to new roles, as reported by The Verge. He emphasised that when positions are eliminated, the company makes significant efforts to find alternative opportunities for affected employees.

“Today, a few teams at Meta are making changes to ensure resources are aligned with their long-term strategic goals and location strategy,” company spokesperson Dave Arnold said in a statement shared with The Verge. “This includes moving some teams to different locations, and moving some employees to different roles. In situations like this when a role is eliminated, we work hard to find other opportunities for impacted employees.”

While the number of employees laid off this time is still unknown, a few have posted their reactions online. Among them is Jane Manchun Wong, who took to Threads, reporting that her role has been impacted.

TechCrunch has also spoken to one of the former employees, whose job was compromised during this time. He said that over a dozen team members were laid off on Wednesday through video calls. He also added that some of those affected received six weeks of severance pay.

In recent years, Meta has significantly reduced its workforce to adjust after aggressive hiring during the pandemic. In 2022, the company cut around 13 per cent of its staff—approximately 11,000 employees—with CEO Mark Zuckerberg taking personal responsibility. The company later announced an additional 10,000 layoffs in 2023 as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's "year of efficiency" initiative.

Tech layoffs in 2024 continue to impact the industry, driven by economic pressures and strategic shifts toward AI and cost-cutting. Companies like Intel, Cisco, and IBM have made substantial cuts, with Intel reducing 15 per cent of its workforce to address revenue challenges. By August, over 1,36,000 tech employees were laid off across 422 companies. Organisations are increasingly pivoting investments toward AI and cybersecurity, reshaping roles and eliminating others in the process.