CEO Sundar Pichai to employees: Layoffs at Google reduced the number of managers, directors and vice presidents by 10%

Google has reportedly reduced the number of top management positions by 10% as part of its years-long push for efficiency. According to a report from Business Insider, CEO Sundar Pichai told employees the same thing at a full board meeting earlier this week.
Pichai reportedly said that Google has made changes in recent years with the aim of “simplifying the company and making it more efficient.” The report quotes two employees who claim to have heard the comments.
Citing sources, the report added that Pichai further said the efficiency improvements included a 10% reduction in managers, directors and vice presidents. A Google spokesperson told the publication that while some of these roles have been converted to non-managerial positions, others have been eliminated entirely.

Google’s “biggest” job cuts ever

In September 2022, Pichai said he wanted to make Google 20% more efficient, and the following January the company underwent a historic round of layoffs, cutting 12,000 jobs. In January 2023, Alphabet, Google’s parent company, announced that it would cut around 6% of its global workforce. In an open letter published by the CEO of Google and Alphabet, Sundar Pichai said the company was “hiring for a different economic reality” than the one it faces today. “We have conducted a thorough review of all product areas and functions to ensure that our people and roles align with our highest priorities as a company,” Pichai wrote, adding that the layoffs impact units across Alphabet and not just Google All regions and product areas will be affected.

Layoff warning in January 2024

In January 2024, Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a memo to his employees warning that more layoffs could be expected this year. Pichai’s memo said the company would have to make “difficult decisions” to achieve its ambitious goal. Although Google layoffs in 2024 were not as low as in 2023; there were employee losses in several departments.

“Googleyness” takes on a new meaning

Google CEO Pichai also said at this week’s all-hands event that the word “Googleyness” is too broad. Pichai clarified what the word means for the company. The word is now supposed to be about being “mission first” and “courageous and responsible.”