Meta Layoffs Loom: Should Workers Hustle Harder or Start Job Hunting?
Meta layoffs are once again rattling Silicon Valley, and this time, the slow rollout is creating a uniquely stressful situation for staff. The tech giant announced on Thursday that it plans to cut roughly 10 percent of its workforce on May 20, leaving employees with nearly a month of uncertainty before learning their fate.
Unlike the sudden, overnight cuts that have become routine across the tech industry, Meta’s approach hands workers something rare: time. But that time comes without answers, and many staffers say the waiting is the hardest part.
A Month of Anxiety, Not Clarity
Meta itself admitted the long lead-up “puts everyone in an uneasy state.” One employee bluntly described the experience as “28 days of hell.”
Patty McCord, the former chief talent officer at Netflix, told Business Insider that drawn-out layoff timelines tend to rattle even the strongest performers. “It freaks everybody out,” she said. The reason is simple: when cuts are this broad, performance often isn’t the deciding factor. Many employees are quietly wondering if they’ll be next, regardless of how well they’ve been doing their jobs.
Meta reportedly shared its layoff plans through an internal memo only after the news leaked. Libby Sartain, who previously led HR at Yahoo and Southwest Airlines, said the company had little choice once the information was out. As she put it, “the barn door is already open, and the horses are running.”
The Big Question: Grind or Job Hunt?
When layoffs are looming, employees tend to fall into one of two camps. Some go into overdrive, hoping to prove their value. Others quietly start polishing their résumés. According to HR veterans, neither approach alone is a magic shield, but choosing how to spend the limbo period matters.
Why Working Harder May Not Save You
Chikara Kennedy, a former senior HR manager at Meta who was affected by the company’s 2023 layoffs, said panicked overperformance is incredibly common in moments like these.
“People come up with the most arbitrary projects and ideas,” she said, often as a way to “control the uncontrollable.” The instinct is rooted in fear, and workers end up overextending themselves trying to stand out.
But for sweeping cuts like Meta’s, the names on the layoff list are likely already chosen. Laszlo Bock, the former head of HR at Google, was direct: “Working harder in the final weeks won’t move the needle.”
Why Networking Now Makes Sense
Bock encourages employees to use the limbo period to plan ahead. Reaching out to contacts, refreshing LinkedIn profiles, and exploring opportunities can pay off no matter what happens.
“If you survive the cut, then you lose a few hours,” he explained. “If you don’t, starting outreach before you’re impacted gives you a leg up.”
He also warned that managers might not be much help right now since many of them could be at risk too. As Bock put it, “Most will be putting on their own oxygen masks before assisting others.”
Don’t Disengage Either
While hustling won’t guarantee safety, checking out completely can backfire. Ashley Herd, cohost of the HR Besties podcast and a former HR leader at McKinsey, said showing up and doing the work still has value, even during uncertainty.
Continued effort can lead to:
- Strong recommendations from senior leaders for future roles
- Visibility from colleagues who may advocate for you
- A smoother transition if you do end up moving on
Sartain put it even more bluntly: visibly disengaging could push someone onto the layoff list who wasn’t there before. “You for sure will be on the list if that occurs,” she warned.
The Smart Middle Path
For Meta employees stuck in this nervous waiting period, the smartest strategy seems to be a balanced one. Keep doing the job well, but don’t pour every ounce of energy into last-minute heroics. At the same time, start quiet conversations with your network, update your résumé, and explore what’s out there.
Final Thoughts
Meta layoffs in 2026 are a reminder that even high performers at top tech companies can find themselves caught in broad cost-cutting moves. The uncomfortable truth is that no amount of last-minute grinding fully protects against decisions made at the corporate level. The best move is to stay professional, stay visible, and start building a backup plan, just in case the axe falls your way.
