Meta to reward top performers with up to 300% bonuses
What's the story
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is revamping its employee performance review system. The company is rolling out a new program called 'Checkpoint' that will streamline performance reviews and includes a special Meta Award for a select few top performers, offering bonuses as high as 300% of their base pay. The move is part of an effort to make performance reviews less bureaucratic and more outcome-focused.
Program
Checkpoint: A new approach to performance evaluation
The Checkpoint program, set to begin in mid-2026, divides performance ratings into four categories. These are Outstanding (around 20% of employees), Excellent (about 70%), Needs Improvement (roughly 7%), and Not Meeting Expectations (approximately 3%). The new system aims to reflect the reality that most employees at Meta are high performers who consistently deliver meaningful impact.
Bonus structure
Enhanced rewards for top performers
Under the new system, Meta will reward its top performers with higher bonuses. The memo outlines a distribution and pay multiplier for the sum. An Outstanding rating gets a 200% individual multiplier for "outsized impact" above expectations, an Excellent rating receives a 115% individual multiplier as the "high-performance culture baseline," and those needing improvement get a 50% individual multiplier.
Award introduction
New Meta Award for exceptional impact
Along with the bonus structure, Meta is also introducing a new Meta Award. This award comes with a whopping 300% individual multiplier and is given to a select few top performers who deliver "truly exceptional impact." The company plans to hold an all-hands meeting on January 22 to explain these changes and answer any questions from employees.
Efficiency focus
Checkpoint aims to save time and streamline reviews
The Checkpoint program also aims to save time on performance-related tasks. Currently, managers spend around 80 hours a year on these tasks, while employees spend a collective 330,000 hours per cycle on peer feedback. However, less than 25% of managers find this feedback useful. Under the new system, Meta will have two cycles a year, mid-year and year-end, with bonuses paid out twice annually.
Management changes
Meta's performance management tightening
The revamp comes as Mark Zuckerberg had described 2025 as an "intense" year with a focus on tightening performance management. This included cutting around 5% of low performers. The firm also plans to assess performance by AI-driven impact starting this year.