The account shared by a former Meta employee highlights a concerning pattern of mental and physical tolls caused by workplace stress, particularly within the company’s Reality Labs division. This employee's experience underscores the intense pressures faced by workers in highly demanding tech environments and the significant personal costs that can come with such a high-performance culture.
Key Points from the Employee’s Account:
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Early Years at Meta: Initially, the employee joined Meta in 2018 as a contractor and later became a full-time staff member in 2020. During her early years, she consistently received top performance ratings, suggesting that she was excelling in her role.
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Switch to Reality Labs: In 2023, when she transitioned to Reality Labs — Meta’s division focused on virtual and augmented reality — her work environment shifted drastically. She described the atmosphere as hostile, citing repeated late-night calls from her manager questioning her capabilities, despite receiving positive feedback from her team. This suggests a disconnect between management's expectations and the realities on the ground, which can contribute to workplace stress.
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Performance Review and Mental Health Toll: In early 2024, her performance review took a significant negative turn, with her rating dropping by two levels. The feedback mentioned she was overly driven by career growth, a point she found unfair, as it seemed to ignore her actual performance and dedication. The pressure from these circumstances caused her physical illness and mental health deterioration, leading her to take a 12-week disability leave.
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Aftermath and Layoff: After returning from her leave in November 2024, she was eventually laid off in February 2025 during Meta's major layoffs. The layoffs affected around 3,600 employees, and performance was cited as the reason. However, many former employees, like the one interviewed, argue that some of them received positive feedback before being let go, leading to questions about how performance was evaluated and whether personal conflicts with managers influenced decisions.
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Personal Impact: The stress from her time at Meta not only affected her health — she had to start medication for anxiety — but also impacted her family life, making her realize the importance of walking away from toxic environments before they worsen.
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Looking Ahead: Despite her challenging experience, she is now exploring new job opportunities but plans to be more cautious in choosing her next workplace. Her focus is on finding an environment that prioritizes mental well-being and work-life balance over a hyper-competitive culture.
Broader Context:
This former employee’s story adds to a broader conversation about the pressures within high-performance tech cultures and the potential consequences for employees' well-being. Meta’s high-performance expectations, particularly in divisions like Reality Labs, where innovation is constant, can create an environment where employees feel constant pressure to perform at peak levels, sometimes to the detriment of their health.
Additionally, her experience also aligns with growing concerns about Meta’s February layoffs. Several employees reported that they had received strong ratings shortly before being let go, while others were on parental or medical leave. This raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the layoff process, with some employees speculating that personal or professional disagreements with managers might have influenced who was let go.
Meta’s Response:
When approached for comment, Meta clarified that the layoffs were performance-based and emphasized its high-performance culture, where employees are expected to consistently produce strong results. However, the accounts from employees suggest that performance assessments may not always be as straightforward or objective as Meta claims. The contrast between employee experiences and company statements calls into question the methods and criteria used in evaluating performance and making layoff decisions.
Larger Implications:
This incident raises important questions about workplace culture in the tech industry and the ethical implications of performance-based job cuts, especially in companies that champion a high-performance ethos. While companies like Meta argue that their approach ensures consistent output, it’s clear that for many employees, such an environment can lead to burnout, mental health struggles, and family strain.
