Meta, the parent company of Facebook, recently made headlines for welcoming back employees who were previously laid off during substantial job cuts. Last year, Meta underwent its largest reduction in workforce, affecting 13% (over 11,000 employees). This was followed by another round of layoffs earlier this year, part of their “Year of Efficiency” vision, resulting in a total of 25% of the workforce being affected.
However, reports from Insider and Bloomberg indicate that Meta has begun rehiring some of the employees previously let go. According to Bloomberg, the tech giant has initiated the rehiring process for some of the previously laid-off workers, as confirmed by anonymous Meta employees. Insider further specified that rehiring of laid-off staff began “mostly since June,” with former employees who were cut as early as the November layoffs being invited to reapply through an “alumni portal.”
Meta is gradually increasing its hiring for engineering and technical roles, with numerous openings in software, hardware, AR/VR, infrastructure, and data centre work. While external candidates were considered for certain roles, the company seems inclined towards rehiring former employees, particularly those with higher levels of engineering expertise and positive performance evaluations.
In addition to rehiring staff, Meta is restoring and expanding amenities previously scaled back due to the pandemic. Bloomberg reported the return of services like laundry and haircuts, along with adjustments in dinnertime and the reintroduction of Thursday happy hours. A Meta spokesperson noted that these perks, although modified during the pandemic, remained in some capacity, aiming to uplift employee morale. These efforts, including reinstating perks and amenities, coincide with Meta’s push for a stricter hybrid work setup, mandating employees to report to the office thrice a week. These measures seek to encourage a return to office culture and uplift morale following the substantial job cuts experienced by the company.
