When layoffs are looming, do you grind harder or dust off your résumé?
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Meta employees are now facing that thorny question after the tech giant said on Thursday it plans to eliminate about 10% of its workforce on May 20, acknowledging that the announcement “puts everyone in an uneasy state” and leaves them “with nearly a month of ambiguity.”
The long notice period has created a peculiar kind of workplace limbo: Unlike the abrupt cuts that have become common in tech, Meta’s warning gives employees time, but not clarity.
“It freaks everybody out,” former Netflix chief talent officer Patty McCord told Business Insider.
Meta employees, including its top performers, likely feel unsettled because layoffs aren’t necessarily about individuals’ performance.
Many are probably thinking to themselves, “this could be me,” she said. (One worker described the uncertainty as “28 days of hell.”)
Meta said it outlined its layoff plans in an internal memo because the news had leaked. At that point, the company had little choice but to confirm it, said Libby Sartain, a former head of HR at Yahoo and Southwest Airlines.
“As we say here in Texas, the barn door is already open, and the horses are running,” she said.
Hustle or hunt?
When workers fear or anticipate layoffs, they often try to prove their value, yet doing so often doesn’t make a difference, said Chikara Kennedy, a former senior HR manager at Meta and the CEO of a coaching and consulting firm.
“People come up with the most arbitrary projects and ideas,” said Kennedy, who was impacted by Meta’s 2023 layoffs round. Their goal is to “prove their worth because they’re really trying to control the uncontrollable.”
That impulse is largely driven by fear, Kennedy said, as workers look for “some level of relief for the anxiety” and end up overextending in an effort to stand out.
Yet in Meta’s case, the individuals being let go have likely been identified due to the sweeping nature of the cuts, said Laszlo Bock, a former Google head of human resources who now advises startups.
“Working harder in the final weeks won’t move the needle,” he said. Instead, Bock said employees are often better off using the time to network and line up their next move.
“If you survive the cut, then you lose a few hours,” he said. “If you don’t, starting outreach before you’re impacted gives you a leg up.”
Grinding it out can still pay off — even if it won’t necessarily save you
Workers shouldn’t expect their boss to be much help, Bock said, as managers may also be at risk of getting a pink slip.
“Most will be putting on their own oxygen masks before assisting others,” he said.
While Meta is likely to be focused on preventing sabotage and retaining top performers during the limbo period, continuing to show up and do the job can still matter, said Ashley Herd, a cohost of the “HR Besties” podcast and a former head of human resources in North America at consulting firm McKinsey.
It could help you get recommendations from higher-ups for your next stint.
“Others may notice your effort and advocate for you,” said Herd.
Disengaging is also a bad idea as it might give the company a reason to add to its layoff roster, said Sartain, the former Yahoo and Southwest Airlines HR exec.
“You for sure will be on the list if that occurs,” she said.
