"Like in a Labor Camp": Why the Mood Among Meta Employees is at an All-Time Low

The mood at Meta is poor. The main reason appears to be the chaotic implementation of the AI strategy. As reported by Business Insider, citing statements from four anonymous employees, CTO Andrew Bosworth stated in the internal chat format "Tuesdays with Boz" in early June that the current work morale is "perhaps not the worst it has been here in the last 20 years, but it is probably very low. It is definitely very low." Only the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where data from millions of Facebook users was used to target voters, is said to have been an even greater low point.

20 Percent Affected by Restructuring

The frustration has a longer history. As early as late 2025, HR chief Janelle Gale announced that the success of all employees would henceforth be evaluated based on how they use AI to work more productively. Since then, teams have been encouraged to participate in AI training several times a week and to develop their own tools. Reactions are mixed: while some find the phase motivating, others report increasing pressure and fears of layoffs. These concerns are not unfounded: in May, Meta announced that about 20 percent of the workforce would be affected by restructuring.

About half of the affected employees were laid off, while the other half were reassigned to new AI projects. They were to work from home on May 20 and wait for an email regarding their potential new roles. Layoff emails were also sent on that day. As Engadget reports, Meta had already announced a larger job cut at the end of April, fueling employee uncertainty. Gale had stated at the time that the decision was "part of ongoing efforts to lead [Meta] more efficiently" and would allow the company to balance other investments.

Work Morale Reaches New Low

Since then, the mood has significantly worsened—especially in the new AI teams. Wired spoke with several employees on the condition of anonymity. "It literally feels like a labor camp. Suddenly, there is no meaning in life, there is hardly any contact with others, you just have these tasks every week," a Meta employee reportedly said. Another person confirmed to Wired: "Most people find the work exhausting." The frustration has even erupted into insults at times. A recording obtained by Wired shows that the leader of a live presentation was asked to tell a certain AI manager that "he is a piece of shit."

In another memo that Wired was able to review, CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly admitted that the recent changes at Meta had caused unrest. "Given the complexity of these changes, we made mistakes and we will almost certainly make more. As we get through this phase, I am also focused on ensuring as much stability as possible in the future," it reportedly states. Bosworth, according to Wired, addresses employee frustration even more directly and admits that the company did not do a good job during the restructuring.

How Meta Plans to Motivate Employees

To improve work morale, Bosworth reportedly promised to make Meta an "exciting and pleasant" workplace—among other things, by providing better break areas and higher travel budgets so that employees can spend more time together. At the same time, he emphasized that the redistribution into the AI teams was the right decision. There are times "when work requires sacrifices"—and the teams may have to work on projects that they "personally do not find so fulfilling."