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Meta, formerly known as Facebook, announced today that it will be discontinuing its Workplace office communication platform by August 31, 2025.
The decision comes as the tech giant shifts its focus towards artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse technologies.
Ashley Zandy, a Meta spokesperson, confirmed that the company will continue to use Workplace internally.
Workplace, initially launched in 2016 as Facebook @ Work, was designed as an alternative to popular platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Despite its internal use and initial success, Meta has decided to sunset the service due to slowed development, increased competition from rivals like Microsoft Teams, Google Workplace, and Zoom Workplace, and the return of employees to offices post-pandemic.
While the public version of Workplace will be discontinued, Meta confirmed that it will continue to use the platform internally.
To assist customers in transitioning away from the Workplace, Meta will offer a 50% discount on the service starting in September 2024. The company will also work with customers to migrate their data to Zoom-owned Workvivo, a similar enterprise communication platform.
From September 1, 2025, Workplace will transition into a read- and export-only mode until June 1, 2026. After this date, access to the platform will be terminated and all data will be deleted.
This move marks a significant shift in Meta's strategy as it prioritizes its investments in AI and the metaverse. The company's decision to discontinue Workplace reflects the challenges faced by many tech companies in the increasingly competitive landscape of remote work tools.
