Some Meta employees were told to work remotely for the day as layoffs loom

• Meta employees in wearables and ads were told on Tuesday to work remotely on Wednesday.
• The HR email comes as layoffs loom over the Big Tech company's 79,000 staff.
• Meta announced a significant stock-based compensation plan for top execs on Tuesday.

Some Meta employees received a message on Tuesday night directing them to work remotely on Wednesday, two sources who received the email told Business Insider.

Employees in Meta's wearables and ads divisions got the notes, said the two sources. The short HR email said leadership would share more information.

Meta's wearables unit, which includes AI glasses and its augmented reality business, is one of the company's "several key investment areas" for 2026, per its latest earnings report.

A spokesperson for Meta declined to comment.

The note comes as the company gears up for layoffs. Business Insider reported earlier this month that some managers were tasked with drawing up cost-cutting plans.

According to Reuters, which first reported the layoffs, a fifth or more of Meta employees could be let go. The tech giant employed nearly 79,000 people at the end of 2025, which could translate to about 16,000 job cuts.

The possible changes come as the $1.5 trillion company is investing big in AI, including in senior leadership.

Meta laid off roughly 10% to 15% of its employees in its Reality Labs group in January as it continues to shift strategy away from the Metaverse.

On Tuesday, Meta detailed significant stock-based compensation programs for senior leaders — not including CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The plan includes an increased number of restricted stock units that vest over time, and tens of thousands of stock options that give them the right to purchase shares at lofty future targets, with a deadline of March 2031.

Meta's stock is down nearly 3% in the last year.