As a leading social media platform used by billions worldwide, Facebook has experienced tremendous growth in a relatively short period. But with growth comes complexity. So how many people does it take to run Facebook? Let‘s analyze the data and trends surrounding Facebook‘s employee count over the years.
Employee Count Over Time
In September 2022, Meta (Facebook‘s parent company) reached a peak of 87,314 employees globally. However, revenue declines led Meta to lay off 11,000 employees in November 2022, reducing the workforce to around 76,000.
This 13% workforce reduction was the largest layoff in Meta‘s history. The move aimed to streamline operations and cut costs after years of aggressive hiring left the company bloated.
In January 2023, Meta announced another major round of layoffs, pushing the employee count below 65,000. This second layoff eliminated thousands more positions as part of Meta‘s shift towards "The Year of Efficiency."
Here‘s a quick overview of how Meta‘s employee count has evolved in recent years:
- Sept 2022 – 87,314 employees (all-time high)
- Nov 2022 – 76,000 employees (after 11K laid off)
- Jan 2023 – Below 65,000 employees (after more layoffs)
For perspective, Meta had under 16,000 employees back in 2017. So the workforce grew tremendously leading up to 2022 before the recent pullbacks.
How Meta‘s Workforce Stacks Up
Despite the layoffs, Meta still has one of the largest workforces among top tech companies:
- Amazon: 1.6 million employees
- Alphabet (Google): 156,500 employees
- Meta: <65,000 employees
- Microsoft: 221,000 employees
- Apple: 154,000 employees
However, Meta‘s workforce is now more on par size-wise with other tech giants like Google and Apple, compared to the past when it significantly outpaced them in employee count.
What Drove the Layoffs?
Meta‘s layoffs were driven by a perfect storm of factors:
- Slowing revenue growth
- High costs and bloated teams
- Overhiring during Covid growth spurt
- Ad targeting changes on iOS
- Transition to short-form video
- Economic turbulence
Faced with these headwinds, Meta felt the need to rightsize its workforce to cut costs and improve efficiency. The huge wave of new hiring stopped, and reductions began.
Ongoing Need for Adaptability
As a small business expert, I see important lessons in Meta‘s story. Growing startups need to remain nimble and adapt quickly to market changes.
Hiring too fast or clinging to outdated strategies can bog companies down. Regular reassessment of priorities, resourcing, and team structure is essential.
While layoffs are always painful, sometimes a leaner team and renewed focus allows a company to thrive again. Meta aims to emerge more innovative and efficient for the long-term.
Key Takeaways
- Meta reached around 87K employees in late 2022 before layoffs reduced the workforce to below 65K now
- The company grew hiring aggressively but then faced revenue headwinds
- Meta still retains one of the largest workforces among top tech companies
- Economic and competitive pressures led Meta to cut costs via layoffs
- Staying adaptable to change is key, even when it requires painful workforce reductions
By regularly evaluating strategy and resourcing, companies can build an optimal team to achieve their mission. While Meta‘s layoffs represent a setback, the company appears determined to rebuild and deliver value long into the future.
