Meta Platforms(US:META) Huan Qiu Wang·2025-05-07 08:34Core Points - Meta's recent layoffs, initiated in February under the guise of "performance optimization," are evolving into a trust crisis within the company [1] - The company claims that 5% of its workforce, approximately 3,600 employees, were laid off due to being "low performers," but former employees report issues such as double standards in the rating system and pressure from management [1] Group 1 - A human resources employee returned from a five-month maternity leave with a mid-year performance rating of "meets expectations," but was later terminated with a year-end rating of "partially meets expectations," attributed to directives from CEO Mark Zuckerberg [3] - Employees have expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in performance feedback, with self-evaluations not being reviewed [3] - A long-term employee with 17 years at Meta, who previously received the highest rating, was laid off after disclosing family pressures, highlighting a shift in the company's culture from regret during previous layoffs to a more ruthless approach [3] Group 2 - Several employees reported targeted downgrades after taking sick leave or requesting job transfers, with one software engineer being laid off shortly after returning from a four-month sick leave [3] - Concerns have been raised about the "low performer" label being assigned unilaterally by Meta, which could negatively impact future job prospects for affected employees [3] - A Meta spokesperson stated that layoffs were based on a "high-performance target culture," but the complaints from former employees reveal deeper contradictions in the performance evaluation process [3]