Just two weeks into the new year, Meta employees were informed of an overhaul to their performance review system. The new 'Checkpoint' framework will roll out in mid-2024, governing performance cycles through 2026. This streamlined system simplifies ratings, widens the gap between rewards for top and bottom performers, and leverages AI tools to intensify management of underperformers. Simultaneously, Meta is gearing up for another round of layoffs to sharpen its focus on core businesses amid escalating AI competition.

Across the tech landscape, industry giants are recalibrating performance systems and organizational structures. ByteDance is pouring resources into bonuses and salary hikes, Google is reallocating rewards, Amazon is beefing up performance management tools, and Microsoft is spelling out consequences for low performers. The common thread? Funneling resources toward a select group of high-impact contributors.

However, this resource tilt risks fueling burnout and anxiety, particularly among mid-level employees whose positions hang in the balance. Meanwhile, tech giants are embracing a 'great flattening trend,' pairing performance reforms with organizational restructuring to tackle inefficiencies. Whether these sweeping changes will boost productivity without sacrificing long-term sustainability remains an open question, one that only time will answer.