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Meta employees advised to work remotely amid looming layoffs
Mark Zuckerberg's directed some employees in wearables and ads to work remotely on Wednesday
On Tuesday evening, a number of Meta staffers were instructed to work from home the next day via an email, according to two recipients who spoke with Business Insider.
Individuals within Meta's wearables and advertising sectors received the communiqué, the two sources noted. The brief HR message indicated that higher-ups would provide further details.
Meta's wearables division, responsible for AI-enhanced glasses and its augmented reality initiatives, is cited in its most recent earnings report as one of the company's "primary investment priorities" for 2026.
The memo arrives as the corporation prepares for job cuts. An earlier Business Insider piece this month highlighted that certain managers were directed to formulate budget-reducing strategies.
Reuters, which initially covered the potential layoffs, suggested that up to 20% or more of Meta's personnel could be dismissed.
By the end of 2025, the tech behemoth's workforce numbered about 79,000, implying a potential reduction of approximately 16,000 roles.
The anticipated changes coincided with the $1.5 trillion entity's substantial investment in AI, encompassing the involvement of senior management.
Earlier in January, Meta reduced its team within its Reality Labs segment by about 10% to 15% as it persistently reoriented its focus away from its Metaverse endeavors.
On Tuesday, Meta elaborated on significant stock-based compensation schemes for senior figures — excluding CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
This initiative includes the offering of an augmented amount of restricted stock units set to gradually vest, alongside numerous stock options permitting the acquisition of shares at considerable prospective targets, with a deadline reaching into March 2031.
Over the past year, Meta's shares have dipped closely to 3%.
