Met employee says high-performing colleague fired despite long hours, good results: ‘I feel bad I survived’ | Today’s news
A viral post shared by a Meta employee has sparked new online conversations about burnout, layoffs and growing uncertainty in the tech industry.
The post, shared anonymously on the Blind jobs forum, described how a high-performing Meta employee was allegedly fired despite months of intense work, sleepless nights and good results at the company.
As Meta moves forward with another big round of job cuts related to its artificial intelligence restructuring plans, the emotional account resonated with many tech workers who say layoffs are increasingly hitting employees regardless of performance.
Viral Post Describes ‘Survivor’s Guilt’
The debate gained momentum after a Met employee opened up about feeling guilty for surviving the layoff while his teammate, known for his hard work and dedication, was reportedly asked to leave.
Read also | Zuckerberg ‘feels the brunt’ of mass layoffs at Meta: ‘Success is not a given’
“Please don’t think that the people who got fired from the Meta are bad, I’m an average-performing scrubber and I feel so bad that I survived when my teammate got fired.
The post quickly spread across social media and online forums, with many users saying the message reflected the emotional layoff of employees who remain inside organizations after the restructuring.
“She slept less than 4 hours”
According to the viral post, the fired employee spent months handling a large project with tight deadlines and intense pressure.
A co-worker described her as reliable, humble and extremely hardworking.
“My teammate is super humble and reliable. She was very responsible and recently worked on a project that had a really tight deadline. She gave it her all and slept less than 4 hours almost 80% of the time over several months.”
The post further claimed that the employee frequently fell ill due to exhaustion and stress, but continued to work despite the pressure.
“I think she got sick many times due to overwork and now she suddenly cut herself I seriously don’t know why they chose her of all people when she had great results and worked on important projects and IC4 but she had no red or yellow zone. Very well behaved and well behaved too. I’m so sad I can’t believe they did this right after she kicked her ass, then I remembered the last few months at six in the morning. Did you sleep at all, please be kind to everyone and don’t generalize people who cut themselves.’
Read also | Layoffs Meta: What 8,000 employees will get laid off will be severance pay
The emotional account sparked widespread reaction online, with many workers saying the story is relatable in today’s corporate environment.
The Internet Reacts to the Meta Layoff Story
Several users argued that layoffs in the tech industry are increasingly tied to restructuring, business priorities, and cost-cutting rather than individual employee performance.
“The good news is that she has learned not to give a second of her health and free time to society.”
“These cuts are random. We’ve also lost some of our best people. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
One user summed up the sentiment bluntly:
“The lesson is not to overextend yourself,”
Another warned of uncertainty surrounding layoffs in large firms.
“You could be next on the chopping block now that he’s gone. Focus on survival,” commented a fourth.
“It could have been non-performance reasons. Firing sucks and usually doesn’t focus on poor performance. A lot of people don’t underperform.”
Read also | 4:00 a.m. layoff email: How Meta informs 8,000 employees of their layoffs
Meta’s AI Restructuring Push
The viral post comes as Meta continues a broader restructuring effort tied to its AI initiatives.
Reports suggest the company is laying off nearly 10% of its global workforce as it reallocates resources to AI-focused operations.
Employees in Singapore were reportedly among the first to receive notices, with some being notified as early as 4am local time. Workers across Europe and the United States were also expected to receive the update in phases.
According to Reuters, Meta plans to shift around 7,000 employees to AI-related projects while reducing management levels across teams.
Reuters also reported that Meta’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Janelle Gale, said the restructuring was aimed at streamlining operations and increasing the company’s focus on artificial intelligence.
