'I feel free': Meta employee reacts after being part of 8,000 layoffs

On May 20, Meta, the renowned social media company, announced the layoff of over 8,000 employees worldwide. This decision has prompted many affected individuals to share their personal stories on social media. Asha Raval, a San Francisco resident and former employee, took to Instagram to express her feelings about the layoff. "I feel so happy and free, like I can finally breathe again," she stated, reflecting on her experience after being let go. Despite receiving high praise in her performance reviews over the past four years, Raval conveyed that no amount of compensation could alleviate the toll the job had taken on her well-being. Raval's LinkedIn profile reveals that she started at Meta as a Product Designer in May 2022. Unfortunately, her employment came to an end amid the company's restructuring efforts. In her post, she also shared a screenshot of her layoff notification, affirming her connection to the company. Before her tenure at Meta, Raval identified as an artist, and she now plans to return to her creative pursuits, including art, fashion, and storytelling. She is also involved as a founding creator at ItsFynd, a fashion-oriented AI startup, which she believes aligns more with her interests in creativity and technology. In addition to the workforce reduction, Meta has redirected 7,000 employees to focus on AI projects and eliminated over 6,000 job openings as part of its major restructuring initiative. The company aims to significantly invest in AI infrastructure and tools to shape its future. This trend of workforce reduction and realignment towards AI is being observed across major tech firms, such as Oracle, LinkedIn, and Amazon, raising concerns about the sustainability of traditional white-collar jobs as companies pivot towards AI-driven operations.