Meta sends layoff emails at 4 AM after ordering employees to work from home

Meta has started another major round of layoffs, and this time the way it happened caught a lot of attention online. Employees across regions were reportedly asked to work from home before termination emails began arriving early in the morning. Also Read: Wear OS 7 announced with live updates, better battery and new widgets: Know what Google announced

According to reports, nearly 8,000 employees are being affected as part of the latest restructuring exercise. The first wave of emails was reportedly sent to employees in Singapore at around 4 AM local time, with workers in the US and UK receiving notifications later in their own time zones. Also Read: What is Google Universal Cart? Explained in 5 points

The layoffs are said to impact close to 10 per cent of Meta’s workforce. Also Read: Google launches AI Ultra subscription with 20TB storage: Pricing, features explained

Employees asked to stay home before layoffs

Reports suggest employees were instructed to work remotely on the day the layoffs were rolled out. This reportedly helped the company avoid office disruptions and large gatherings during the process.

Instead of people being informed in meeting rooms or offices, the notices arrived directly through email before sunrise in several regions.

The timing of the move quickly became a talking point online, especially after employees began sharing details of the early-morning emails and internal communication.

AI push behind the restructuring

The layoffs are closely linked to Meta’s growing focus on artificial intelligence. Mark Zuckerberg has repeatedly said AI is now one of the company’s biggest priorities.

As part of the restructuring, thousands of employees are also reportedly being moved into AI-focused teams inside the company. Internal discussions referenced in reports suggest Meta wants flatter structures with smaller teams that can move faster.

Engineering and product divisions are expected to be among the most affected areas.

Meta is also planning massive spending on AI infrastructure and products. Reports suggest the company could spend over $100 billion on AI-related investments this year alone.

Internal concerns inside Meta

The layoffs reportedly affected morale inside the company even before the emails went out. Reports suggest employees had already started worrying internally after news about possible layoffs began spreading inside the company.

There were also concerns around reports of internal tracking systems that were allegedly monitoring things like keystrokes and mouse activity. According to reports, over 1,000 employees signed a petition opposing the system.

The work-from-home instruction before the layoffs also led to criticism online, with many questioning how large tech companies now handle workforce reductions.

More tech companies are cutting jobs too

Meta is not the only major tech company reducing staff. Several companies across the industry have announced layoffs or restructuring plans over the past few months.

Over the last few months, companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Cisco, and Oracle have also announced layoffs or workforce restructuring.

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Meta has already gone through several rounds of layoffs since 2022. The company cut down 11,000 jobs in 2022 and another 10,000 the next year. Earlier this year, Meta laid off 1,000 employees and reports suggest the company could continue making internal changes as it shifts more attention towards AI.