- Microsoft and Meta say they plan to cut jobs, targeting “low performance.”
- Layoffs can be traumatic for workers, and the added label of “underperforming” can make it worse.
- Such labels can also create additional barriers for those looking for new jobs, experts say.
Targeting “low performers” may seem like a logical tactic for large companies looking to improve their workforce.
But when Meta and Microsoft recently announced performance-based cuts, it sparked an online debate about the potential impacts of publicly labeling someone a “low performer” — a term loaded with negative connotations.
Layoffs can already be traumatic for workers and experts say that such labels only complicate the issue, creating new obstacles for those who have returned to look for work.
“Here’s the real deal — a ‘low performer’ at Meta can be a rock star anywhere else,” wrote Jan Tegze, a tech recruiter based in the Czech Republic, in a LinkedIn post. But now, these “people have to look for jobs with this label hanging over them. Every recruiter, every hiring manager is going to see these titles.”
Jennifer Dulski, founder and CEO of Rising Team and a management lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, said on LinkedIn that it was “reasonable to let people go for lower performance than others on the team and share that rationale with them.”
“However, publicly naming employees as underperformers serves no one – not the individuals, not the rest of the team, not the company’s reputation,” she added.
“This is going to stand and hurt a lot of people’s careers. It’s unnecessary and punitive,” said Jonathan Shottan, chief product and content officer at Tonal.
Previous research has suggested that finding a job may be more difficult for laid-off workers because of the stigma they may encounter among potential employers.
And with job seekers also facing a sluggish job market and new obstacles such as the ever-increasing reach of AI in workplaces, the added label of “low performance” can make the job search even more complicated.
However, others have defended Meta and Microsoft’s announcements.
“Who would you fire? Your best performers?” A LinkedIn user wrote in response to Tegze’s post. “There isn’t a company in the world that would let go of someone they didn’t think was their lowest performer.”
“What if… they ‘are’ actually underperforming,” said another. “Stop jumping on the let’s bash Zuk bandwagon.”
In an internal memo seen by Business Insider earlier this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told employees that he had “decided to raise the bar on performance management” and act quickly to “remove those with poor performance.” low”.
The cuts will affect 5% of the company’s workforce, equivalent to around 3,600 roles. Microsoft has not announced the number of employees it plans to lay off.
For those who find themselves caught up in layoffs, experts have some tips to make sure you give yourself the best chance of getting back to work.
Writing in X, Ethan Evans, a former Amazon vice president, advised those hit by cuts aimed at low performers to carefully and openly explain their situation to hiring managers.
Evans said it may be natural for recruiters to ask if an interviewee has performance issues they should avoid, and that “your ability to respond calmly and confidently will matter as much as the actual content of your answer”.
“If your entire team or division was disrupted, that’s the strongest story. Be clear about that and say, ‘My entire team was disrupted.’ Tell them a story that backs up your claim if you can,” he said. he.
He added: “Never badmouth your old boss or company.”
“Just like dating, no one wants to start a relationship with someone who hasn’t gotten over their ex.”
Business Insider reached out to Meta and Microsoft for comment.
