Meta's workforce strategy from 2020 to 2026 underwent a dramatic pivot from rapid expansion, evidenced by quickly filled roles in 2021, to sustained aggressive contraction. Initial targeted hiring freezes in 2022 escalated to a company-wide freeze by September, followed by 11,000 broad cuts in November due to economic downturn and cost pressures. This 'Year of Efficiency' continued into 2023 with 10,000 layoffs and further freezes, rescinding job offers to align with priorities. By 2024, efficiency-driven layoffs persisted, alongside an AI hiring pause amid bubble concerns. The contraction deepened significantly in 2025, with 15,800 expected layoffs, 3,600 performance-based reductions, and 1,000 cuts in Reality Labs, even as the AI organization saw a hiring freeze after restructuring. The rationale consistently emphasizes cost cutting, efficiency, and adapting to changed business needs, increasingly linked to a strategic refocus on AI investments. Projections for 2026 indicate 15,600 expected layoffs, 20% of payroll, explicitly tied to cost cutting and AI. A broad hiring freeze across 70% of the organization, a temporary intern pause, and specific cuts of 168 in virtual reality and 700 across Reality Labs, recruiting, sales, and Facebook in early 2026 underscore a continued, deliberate workforce reduction amidst ongoing AI investment.