### Meta Terminates Staff Over Misappropriation of Meal Credits Amid Ongoing Restructuring
In a noteworthy recent action, Meta, the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, let go of around two dozen workers in Los Angeles for misappropriating their meal credits. These employees reportedly utilized the meal allowances provided by the company to acquire non-food products, such as household items like acne pads, wine glasses, and laundry soap. This incident coincides with a period of substantial restructuring at Meta, demonstrating that the company’s commitment to efficiency remains robust.
#### The Meal Credit Program: A Benefit Mismanaged
Similar to several other technology powerhouses, Meta extends various benefits to its employees, including complimentary meals. Staff members at the company’s expansive Silicon Valley headquarters can relish free food available at on-site cafeterias. Conversely, employees situated in smaller offices lacking such amenities are allocated meal credits via services like Uber Eats or Grubhub. These credits are designated for meals consumed during working hours, with daily limits established at $20 for breakfast, $25 for lunch, and $25 for dinner.
The employees involved in the terminations were said to have exploited this system over a significant timeframe. Sources with knowledge of the situation indicated that some employees combined their meal credits, while others received meals or non-food deliveries at their residences, although the credits were intended for office consumption. While those who committed minor offenses faced warnings, repeated offenders were dismissed.
#### An Expansive Restructuring Initiative
The dismissals transpired mere days before Meta initiated a wider restructuring of its teams spanning multiple divisions, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs, which focuses on augmented and virtual reality. This restructuring encompasses both workforce reductions and the reassignment of employees to new teams or locations, as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s continuing “efficiency drive.”
The pursuit of efficiency has been a recurring theme since Zuckerberg announced significant layoffs in 2022 and 2023, resulting in roughly 21,000 positions being cut. These reductions were part of a more extensive strategy to refine operations, prioritize core projects, and redirect the company’s resources toward more critical initiatives, such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse.
#### Employee Perspectives and the Role of Blind
The layoffs have ignited conversations on anonymous workplace platforms like Blind, allowing employees to convey their experiences without disclosing their identities. One ex-Meta employee, who claimed a salary of about $400,000, confessed to using meal credits for items such as toothpaste and tea from a pharmacy. This employee reasoned that on days when they didn’t dine at the office—like when their partner was cooking or when social dinner plans were made—it seemed logical to use the credits for other essentials rather than allow them to expire.
Despite acknowledging this misstep during an HR inquiry, the employee was ultimately let go. “It felt almost surreal that this was happening,” the individual shared on Blind, mirroring the astonishment of many staff over the seemingly harsh repercussions of what some might deem minor violations.
#### Meta’s Reaction and Strategic Transition
Meta has refrained from commenting specifically about the terminations linked to meal credit misuse. Nonetheless, the company issued a statement concerning its broader restructuring efforts, indicating that these adjustments are part of a protracted strategy to align resources with long-term objectives. This includes relocating certain teams and transitioning employees to new functions. In instances where positions are dissolved, Meta has claimed it strives to identify alternative prospects for impacted staff.
The restructuring aligns with Zuckerberg’s greater ambition to enhance Meta’s efficiency and refocus on high-priority fields such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse. The company’s significant investment in the metaverse has raised concerns among investors, especially with Meta’s growth having decelerated in recent years. However, Wall Street has reacted favorably to the company’s cost-reduction tactics, with Meta’s stock currently trading near all-time highs, and shares valued at approximately $577 each.
#### The Year of Efficiency
Zuckerberg has referred to 2023 as the “year of efficiency,” a term that captures Meta’s endeavors to streamline operations, minimize expenses, and redirect focus to primary business areas. The firm’s choice to dismiss employees for meal credit misuse, while appearing trivial in the broader context, signifies a cultural transformation within the company. Meta is unequivocally indicating that it will no longer accept inefficiencies or misapplications of company resources, regardless of their scale.
This emphasis on efficiency is also visible in the organization’s choice to terminate low-priority initiatives and concentrate its efforts on more lucrative sectors such as artificial intelligence. As AI increasingly becomes a vital growth catalyst in the tech sphere, Meta is setting itself up to compete against other industry leaders like Google and Microsoft, which have both made significant investments in AI technologies.
#### Conclusion
Meta’s decision to terminate employees over the misuse of
