Meta Workers Rush to Utilize Benefits Before Upcoming Layoffs

As Meta gears up for its latest mass layoffs tomorrow, numerous employees are leaving their offices, neglecting their work, and taking advantage of perks they may soon forfeit, according to several sources within the company relayed to WIRED.

Two employees have noted a significant push to utilize the annual $2,000 flexible benefit, which can be spent on various expenses like health and wellness activities. Additionally, a triennial $200 credit for audio equipment has sparked a rush to purchase Apple AirPods and other headphones. Another insider mentions that Meta’s offices have been predominantly vacant this week, as employees focus on refining their résumés and meeting offsite with friends for what might be their last occasions as colleagues. Sources describe employees as feeling “paralyzed,” “coasting,” and “panicked.”

On Wednesday, Meta is expected to lay off approximately 10 percent of its nearly 80,000 employees, with notifications being sent to affected workers’ personal and corporate email addresses at 4 am local time, as outlined in a company memo distributed on Monday. These cuts arrive while the social media giant, which owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, is reporting record-high profits.

However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg maintains that the company needs to allocate funds to invest in AI data centers, asserting that Meta can achieve similar performance with a reduced workforce due to AI technologies that enhance human labor.

Meta did not promptly respond to a request for comment regarding this story. The company has previously undergone three major layoffs since 2022, including during Meta’s one-time “year of efficiency” initiative in 2023. Although the current round is smaller than some past cuts, it is attracting significant attention amid societal concerns about AI and its effects on employment.

Within Meta, these upcoming cuts are one of several issues contributing to a significant drop in employee morale, as reported by 16 current and former employees who recently spoke with WIRED. Frustration has also arisen from employees being “drafted” into a new AI team without consent, coupled with the implementation of surveillance software that monitors US workers’ laptop usage for AI model training.

Additionally, Meta plans to undertake an internal restructuring alongside the extensive layoffs, shifting 7,000 remaining employees to “AI initiatives” and transforming more managers into individual contributors. This brings the total number of those impacted—either laid off or reassigned—to 20 percent of the current workforce, as reported by Reuters on Monday. WIRED independently verified this information. Some divisions have been informed that they will not be affected at all.

In recent days, employees anticipating changes have shared internal checklists outlining benefits to utilize and are saving important documents such as performance reviews and pay stubs, according to one worker. Some teams have been gathering at nearby bars and restaurants in New York and Menlo Park on Tuesday and Wednesday to seek comfort in food and drinks amidst their concerns, multiple employees reported. Management has advised staff not to report to the offices on Wednesday.