Meta, the parent company of social networking sites Facebook and Instagram, to reduce its workforce by 5%. The latest round of job cuts will impact the lowest-performing staffers of the company, according to CNBC. This latest round of layoffs marks the largest workforce reduction at the company since it eliminated 21,000 jobs during 2022 and 2023. According to Meta’s most recent quarterly report, the company employs more than 72,000 people globally.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg communicated the decision in a memo posted on Meta’s internal Workplace forum. In the memo, he stated that 2025 will “be an intense year” for the company, underscoring the need for operational efficiency and strategic focus. Employees affected by the layoffs will be notified by February 10 and will receive severance packages consistent with those provided in previous reductions. The severance packages includes 16 weeks of base pay plus two additional weeks for every year of service, with no cap. Meta will cover the cost of healthcare for people and their families for six months. Laid-off employees are also provided three months of career support with an external vendor, including early access to unpublished job leads. Immigration support is also offered to employees if needed.

Meta has been going through several changes. It recently announced the appointment of Dana White, John Elkann and Charlie Songhurst as the company’s board of directors. Additionally, Meta also announced ending its third-party fact-checking program and moving to a Community Notes model.