Meta’s New Performance Crackdown: More Employees Flagged ‘Below Expectations’ in 2025 Review Shakeup

Meta is shaking up its employee evaluation system with a major increase in the number of workers flagged as “below expectations” this year, signaling a tougher stance on performance.

An internal memo leaked to Business Insider reveals that the company wants managers to rate 15% to 20% of staff in this lowest performance category, up from 12% to 15% in previous years.

This sharp rise suggests Meta is preparing for more performance-based cuts, continuing a trend of aggressive workforce trimming. The move comes just months after the company laid off nearly 4,000 employees it labeled as low performers, and now the pressure on staff to meet high standards is intensifying.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been vocal about his desire to “move out low-performers” faster, pushing managers to take a stricter approach during midyear reviews. By expanding the ranks of underperformers, the company appears to be setting the stage for more exits, even if a full company-wide purge is not planned this time.

The company views the midyear review as an “opportunity to make exit decisions,” according to the leaked memo. Employees with poor ratings, formal discipline, or recent “employee relations” cases face greater risk of dismissal as the review period approaches.

Managers are expected to carefully manage performance conversations throughout the summer months, with reviews set to start on June 16 and ongoing discussions continuing into August. The process aims to weed out workers who fail to meet the company’s evolving expectations.

This tightening of performance standards aligns with Zuckerberg’s “Year of Efficiency” initiative, launched in 2023, which sought to flatten the company hierarchy and accelerate decision-making.

The streamlining included the elimination of roughly 10,000 roles, many mid-level management positions, reducing layers between executives and frontline teams.

Many mid-level managers were pushed into individual contributor roles to reduce communication bottlenecks and speed up workflow, shifting Meta’s culture toward greater accountability. However, these changes have also increased pressure on employees to prove their value quickly.

Meta’s evolving review system echoes similar trends in the wider tech industry, where companies are increasing performance expectations to cut costs and improve competitiveness.

For example, Microsoft recently announced layoffs affecting 6,000 employees, focusing on trimming management layers to increase developer productivity.

Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai also reduced top management ranks by 10% last year as part of an efficiency drive, reflecting a broader industry move toward leaner organizational structures. Meta’s new policies are very much part of this wave of performance-driven corporate restructuring.

The expanded range of employees rated “below expectations” also includes those who have voluntarily left or been dismissed previously, categorized as “nonregrettable attrition.” This accounting method helps Meta present a more comprehensive picture of workforce changes.

Managers are urged to be more rigorous in evaluating employees on the borderline between performance categories, a sign that Meta intends to tighten the criteria for passing reviews. The memo stresses the importance of clear documentation and consistency to justify decisions.

The company’s human resources leadership has emphasized that moving low performers out quickly is crucial to bringing in “new, stronger talent.” This philosophy underpins Meta’s aggressive performance management strategy.

Despite these internal pressures, some employees feel anxious about the increasing demands and shrinking safety nets. Reports of growing stress and uncertainty within teams have surfaced, pointing to a challenging workplace atmosphere.

Meta’s focus on efficiency and rapid innovation requires top performance from all employees, but critics argue this approach risks burning out staff and losing valuable institutional knowledge. The balance between productivity and employee well-being remains a difficult tightrope.

Some former employees describe Meta’s culture as increasingly cutthroat, with a “sink or swim” mentality driving everyday work life. High turnover and frequent restructurings add to the instability felt by many.

However, supporters of the policy argue that tough performance standards are necessary for Meta to maintain its market position amid fierce competition from rivals like Apple, Google, and emerging startups. Efficiency gains can lead to faster innovation cycles and better product development.

Zuckerberg’s vision for Meta centers on advancing the metaverse and artificial intelligence technologies, requiring a workforce capable of operating at peak performance. Ensuring the team consists of highly effective individuals is key to these ambitious goals.

As Meta continues to invest billions into futuristic projects, it’s clear the company expects its employees to deliver equally transformative results. Those who cannot keep up risk falling behind as the company’s demands grow.

The coming months will test how well Meta’s workforce adapts to the stricter evaluation standards and whether the company can successfully onboard new talent while retaining institutional knowledge. The outcome will shape Meta’s ability to compete in the evolving tech landscape.

For employees, the message is clear: expectations are higher than ever, and complacency is no longer an option. Meta’s internal memo signals a company determined to sharpen its competitive edge, whatever the cost.

With midyear reviews looming, many will be watching closely to see how these policies impact morale, productivity, and overall company culture. The pressure to perform has never been more intense at Meta.

As Meta seeks to reshape its workforce and culture, the technology giant stands at a crossroads between maintaining growth and managing the human cost of rapid change. The stakes are high for all involved.

Meta’s performance overhaul is not just a restructuring of its workforce; it is a fundamental shift in the company's long-term vision for growth.

The added pressure to meet increasingly stringent performance standards signals a commitment to innovation at all costs, as Zuckerberg aims to position Meta as a leader in the ever-evolving tech landscape. But whether this approach will foster a high-performing culture without sacrificing employee well-being remains to be seen.

Zuckerberg’s insistence on cutting low performers quickly may appear ruthless, but it also demonstrates a long-term strategy focused on agility and efficiency.

The rapid pace of technological development, especially in artificial intelligence and virtual reality, demands that Meta continuously push its employees to excel. Meta’s workforce is being asked to be nimble, constantly adapting to new challenges as they come.

But critics of the performance model argue that while driving innovation is important, it’s equally essential to foster a healthy workplace culture. Without a focus on employee support and well-being, the pressure to constantly perform could lead to burnout and high turnover rates.

Some believe that Meta is inadvertently pushing out employees who might otherwise be valuable contributors, simply because they are not able to meet ever-higher standards.

Zuckerberg’s approach mirrors that of other tech giants, such as Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Tesla’s Elon Musk, who have also been known for their tough management styles.

However, Meta’s track record of layoffs and restructuring leaves some questioning if this strategy will ultimately result in a sustainable, long-term workforce. After all, talent acquisition is as important as talent retention, and if employees are not nurtured properly, the cycle of turnover could become a major issue.

The ongoing shift in Meta’s internal culture is not without its consequences. The company’s focus on performance over collaboration may create an environment where employees are more focused on meeting deadlines and KPIs than on working together as teams. Over time, this could erode the creative, collaborative spirit that has fueled much of the tech industry’s innovation to date.

Some employees are already raising concerns that the move toward a more competitive, results-driven culture might stifle creativity and risk-taking.

Innovation often comes from employees feeling secure enough to take bold risks and challenge the status quo, but when workers are constantly in fear of falling short of performance targets, they may be less willing to experiment and take those risks.

As Meta continues to focus on the metaverse and next-generation technologies, the company must balance its ambition with the realities of managing a workforce that requires support, stability, and growth.

Whether the company can maintain its innovative edge while keeping employees engaged and motivated is a question that will only be answered over time.

The end result of Meta’s performance overhaul is still unclear, but it will undoubtedly reshape the company’s culture in significant ways.

As the company moves forward with its aggressive push for efficiency and high performance, it will need to closely monitor the impact on employee satisfaction, morale, and retention. How Meta navigates this fine line between innovation and workforce well-being will determine the company’s long-term success.