Meta Employee Morale at All-Time Low Despite Record Profits in 2026

Meta employee morale has reached a historic low, according to internal accounts and recent reports, even as the company posts record-breaking profits. The contradiction between financial success and workforce dissatisfaction has become a defining paradox inside the social media giant, where a wave of layoffs is expected to cut approximately 10 percent of staff next week.

WIRED spoke with more than a dozen current and former employees who describe a workplace gripped by anxiety, disillusionment, and a deepening rift between leadership and the rank-and-file. The sentiment is echoed across multiple outlets, including TechRadar, which reported that Meta employee morale is at an all-time low, citing internal surveys and anonymous employee feedback.

The Root Causes of Low Meta Employee Morale

Layoffs and Leadership Distrust

The planned job cuts, which will affect thousands of workers across departments, have accelerated the decline in morale. According to a report by Yahoo Finance, employees have accused CEO Mark Zuckerberg of shattering the “morale and confidence in leadership of many high performers.” The report details how even top-tier engineers and product managers, once considered indispensable, now feel undervalued and uncertain about their futures.

One former manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told WIRED: “The trust is gone. People are looking over their shoulders, wondering if their project or their team will be next. It’s not a healthy place to be.” Another current employee described the atmosphere as “toxic productivity,” where staff are pushed to deliver more with fewer resources while fearing for their jobs.

Employee Satisfaction Surveys Hit Record Lows

TechRadar’s analysis confirms that employee sentiment surveys have shown a steady drop in satisfaction scores over the past four quarters, with the most recent data marking the lowest point in the company’s history. The layoffs, combined with a pivot away from long-standing projects like the metaverse, have left many questioning the company’s strategic direction. This ongoing workplace dissatisfaction is a key factor in the current crisis.

Zuckerberg’s AI Pivot and Its Impact on Workplace Culture

In response to the growing discontent, Mark Zuckerberg has increasingly turned to artificial intelligence as a rallying cry. Data Center Knowledge reports that the CEO is touting AI as the solution to both the company’s operational challenges and its cultural malaise. During a recent all-hands meeting, Zuckerberg emphasized that Meta’s investments in generative AI and large language models would create new opportunities and reinvigorate the company’s mission.

Skepticism Among High Performers

However, employees remain skeptical. Many see the AI push as a distraction from the deeper issues of job security, compensation stagnation, and a perceived lack of empathy from leadership. “He talks about AI like it’s a magic wand,” one engineer told WIRED. “But the people building that AI are the same ones being laid off. It’s hard to feel inspired when you don’t know if you’ll have a job next month.”

The disconnect is particularly sharp among high performers, who feel that their contributions are being overlooked in favor of cost-cutting metrics. Yahoo Finance’s report highlights that several senior engineers have resigned in recent weeks, citing a loss of faith in the executive team. One departing staffer wrote in an internal farewell post: “I’m leaving because I no longer believe leadership cares about the people who made this company great.”

Corporate Restructuring and Its Fallout

Meanwhile, Meta’s financial results tell a different story. The company reported a net profit of $12.5 billion in the most recent quarter, driven by strong advertising revenue and cost controls. But the numbers do little to soothe the growing unease. As one employee put it: “The stock is up, but the morale is down. That’s not sustainable.”

According to TechRadar, the upcoming layoffs are expected to hit the Reality Labs division—the unit responsible for the metaverse—particularly hard. This has led to further frustration, as many employees who were recruited specifically for that vision now feel misled. “We were told the metaverse was the future,” a former product designer said. “Now it feels like we’re being discarded.”

Can Meta Rebuild Trust and Restore Employee Morale?

As Meta prepares for another round of cuts, the question remains whether the company can rebuild trust and restore Meta employee morale. For now, the mood inside Menlo Park is one of resignation. As one veteran employee summed up: “Everyone is unhappy. And the worst part is, nobody believes it’s going to get better anytime soon.” This low employee morale, if unaddressed, could further damage the company's long-term culture and performance.