Meta layoffs 2026: Company memo to employees, severance package and other key details
As Meta has started a new round of layoffs impacting nearly 8,000 employees globally, details on severance packages have emerged. In a memo, Mark Zuckerberg has also promised no more company-wide cuts this year amid massive AI investments.
Meta has kicked off its latest round of layoffs, impacting around 10 per cent of its global workforce, or roughly 8,000 employees. According to reports, the company has already started notifying workers, with teams in Singapore among the first to receive the news. As per a Bloomberg report, Meta sent emails to impacted employees at its Singapore hub at 4 am local time on Wednesday. As the layoffs begin, more details are emerging about the severance packages Meta is offering to affected employees.
What severance package is Meta offering?
According to an internal document seen by Business Insider, US employees will receive 16 weeks — or four months — of base pay as severance. In addition, employees will also receive two extra weeks of pay for every year of continuous employment at the company.
Employees outside the US are expected to receive similar packages, although the exact terms may vary depending on local labour laws and country-specific policies.
The severance details provide a clearer picture of how Meta is trying to manage one of its biggest workforce reductions while simultaneously reshaping the company around AI.
Zuckerberg’s message to employees
Alongside the layoffs, Zuckerberg also wrote a memo addressed to impacted employees, thanking them for their contribution to the company.
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone leaving today for all of the hard work you've put into serving our community,” Zuckerberg wrote.
He acknowledged the emotional weight of the decision, saying it is always difficult to say goodbye to employees who helped build the company and contribute to its mission.
“It’s always sad to say goodbye to people who have contributed to our mission and to building this company,” he said. “I feel the weight of that, and I’m spending a lot of time making sure we manage this as well as possible.”
Meta’s bigger AI transformation
The layoffs come at a time when the Mark Zuckerberg-led company is preparing to invest billions of dollars into artificial intelligence this year, continuing the tech industry’s aggressive push toward AI.
In the memo, Zuckerberg described artificial intelligence as “the most consequential technology of our lifetimes” and said the companies leading the AI race will define the next generation.
At the same time, Zuckerberg acknowledged criticism around communication during layoffs and admitted the company has not always been as clear as it should be.
“We haven’t been as clear as we aspire to be in our communication,” he wrote, adding that improving communication is an area he wants Meta to focus on.
“No more company-wide layoffs this year”
One of the most closely watched parts of Zuckerberg’s memo was his attempt to reassure remaining employees about job stability.
“To that end, I want to be clear that we do not expect other company-wide layoffs this year,” Zuckerberg wrote.
The comment comes after years of repeated job cuts across the tech industry as companies shifted focus toward AI investments, automation, and efficiency.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding layoffs, Zuckerberg struck an optimistic tone about Meta’s future, saying the company remains one of the few firms positioned to shape the future of artificial intelligence because of its talent, infrastructure, apps, and global reach.
“We have a lot of work ahead, but what’s on the other side is going to be extraordinary,” he wrote.
Meta has kicked off its latest round of layoffs, impacting around 10 per cent of its global workforce, or roughly 8,000 employees. According to reports, the company has already started notifying workers, with teams in Singapore among the first to receive the news. As per a Bloomberg report, Meta sent emails to impacted employees at its Singapore hub at 4 am local time on Wednesday. As the layoffs begin, more details are emerging about the severance packages Meta is offering to affected employees.
What severance package is Meta offering?
According to an internal document seen by Business Insider, US employees will receive 16 weeks — or four months — of base pay as severance. In addition, employees will also receive two extra weeks of pay for every year of continuous employment at the company.
Employees outside the US are expected to receive similar packages, although the exact terms may vary depending on local labour laws and country-specific policies.
The severance details provide a clearer picture of how Meta is trying to manage one of its biggest workforce reductions while simultaneously reshaping the company around AI.
Zuckerberg’s message to employees
Alongside the layoffs, Zuckerberg also wrote a memo addressed to impacted employees, thanking them for their contribution to the company.
“I want to express my gratitude to everyone leaving today for all of the hard work you've put into serving our community,” Zuckerberg wrote.
He acknowledged the emotional weight of the decision, saying it is always difficult to say goodbye to employees who helped build the company and contribute to its mission.
“It’s always sad to say goodbye to people who have contributed to our mission and to building this company,” he said. “I feel the weight of that, and I’m spending a lot of time making sure we manage this as well as possible.”
Meta’s bigger AI transformation
The layoffs come at a time when the Mark Zuckerberg-led company is preparing to invest billions of dollars into artificial intelligence this year, continuing the tech industry’s aggressive push toward AI.
In the memo, Zuckerberg described artificial intelligence as “the most consequential technology of our lifetimes” and said the companies leading the AI race will define the next generation.
At the same time, Zuckerberg acknowledged criticism around communication during layoffs and admitted the company has not always been as clear as it should be.
“We haven’t been as clear as we aspire to be in our communication,” he wrote, adding that improving communication is an area he wants Meta to focus on.
“No more company-wide layoffs this year”
One of the most closely watched parts of Zuckerberg’s memo was his attempt to reassure remaining employees about job stability.
“To that end, I want to be clear that we do not expect other company-wide layoffs this year,” Zuckerberg wrote.
The comment comes after years of repeated job cuts across the tech industry as companies shifted focus toward AI investments, automation, and efficiency.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding layoffs, Zuckerberg struck an optimistic tone about Meta’s future, saying the company remains one of the few firms positioned to shape the future of artificial intelligence because of its talent, infrastructure, apps, and global reach.
“We have a lot of work ahead, but what’s on the other side is going to be extraordinary,” he wrote.
