Facebook parent company Meta recently used an algorithm to “randomly” fire 60 laborers from Accenture, the company said Aug. 20.
The deal comes on the heels of a nearly $500 million contract between Meta and Accenture for laborers affiliated with the latter to work in Meta’s Austin office, focusing on content review and business integrity.
Meta informed the 60 laid-off employees via video conference call that the layoffs would take effect on September 2, with payroll ending on October 3. Meta did not give specific reasons for the layoffs, other than to make it clear that they were “random” selections.
Accenture did not immediately offer other jobs to the contingent workers, but the employees were told they could reapply for new positions within the next two weeks.
At an all-staff meeting held on June 30, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg warned employees that the recent market downturn “may be one of the toughest challenges we’ve seen in recent years” and that they needed to pass. The recent market downturn “may be one of the toughest challenges we’ve seen in recent years,” and the need for “aggressive performance reviews” to eliminate underperformers. Judging from Zuckerberg’s words, the layoffs may not come as a surprise.
Zuckerberg said, “In fact, there are probably a lot of people in the company who shouldn’t be here.”
Zuckerberg added: “By mentioning raising expectations, setting more aggressive goals and ratcheting up the pressure a little bit, I think that might make some of you feel like this is not the right place for you. I don’t see a problem with that self-selection.”
The all-hands meeting comes as Meta has taken a hiring freeze and adopted other cost-cutting measures, largely because the company’s stock has fallen by more than half so far this year.
Just days before Meta laid off its labor force, Apple fired 100 personnel specialists responsible for hiring new employees. Apple did previously warn that the company would rein in spending and slow down hiring.
Last August, Xsolla, a payment processing company in the gaming industry, also used an algorithm to lay off 150 employees, so letting robots fire employees could be a trend of the future.
