Earlier this year, tech website 9to5Google reported that Google had offered voluntary layoffs to employees across several key departments in the U.S. According to sources, the offer included teams working on Android (including Auto, TV, Wear OS, and XR), Chrome, ChromeOS, Google Photos, Google One, Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest.
Now, on April 11, The Information reports that Google has gone a step further and implemented forced layoffs within the same departments. The exact number of people losing their jobs is not yet known, but it is said to be several hundred employees – a significant cut, even for a company of Google’s size.
The company has confirmed the information and stated that the measures are part of a larger strategy to make the organization more flexible and efficient. In the past two years, Google has already laid off about 12,000 employees, which is about 6% of the company’s total workforce.
Previously, it has been primarily managers and middle managers who have been affected – that is, employees in administrative roles without direct responsibility for the development of new products and services. This has led to speculation that Google is actively trying to prioritize core competencies and technical expertise.
According to Western media, there is little sign that end users will notice any significant difference in Google’s products as a result of the staff cuts. Despite the cuts, the company appears to have managed to retain its key specialists.
It’s also not certain that cost-cutting is the primary motivation. For example, Google is reportedly willing to pay some key people at its DeepMind subsidiary their full annual salaries—even if they’re not actively working on projects at the moment. This suggests that the company is still willing to invest heavily in retaining critical expertise, despite general downsizing.
