The highest number of layoffs in Google's history.
Last Friday, Google followed Microsoft in laying off 12,000 people. That's 6% of all Google employees.
CEO Sundar Pichai said in an email that the company has increased its workforce significantly over the past two years as the pandemic has driven Google's rapid growth. In fact, Alphabet (Google's parent company) employment increased by 24% from 2021 to 2022.
However, he also explained that like other IT companies, they are facing difficult economic conditions.
# Layoff notice from the CEO
Notifications of layoffs in the United States have already been sent to each individual by email, and it seems that it will take a little longer to notify layoffs overseas.
"I feel heavily that this decision will affect the lives of Google employees. I take all responsibility for this result,'' said Sundar Pichai on the 23rd of the US time. He said he will hold a meeting on Monday to answer questions from employees.
# Compensation from Google
Here's what CNBC said in an email to a laid-off employee:
・Employment for at least 60 days
・Retirement allowance for 16 weeks plus 2 weeks multiplied by years of service,
・Bonus and vacation payments for 2022
16 weeks of restricted stock GSU (Google Stock Units)
・Health insurance for 6 months
・Employment support services and immigration support
Compensation for overseas employees has not yet been disclosed.
Although it is unfortunate for the employees who were laid off this time, Mr. Pichai said to the remaining employees,
"Google's products are better than they've ever been, and soon we'll be able to share a whole new experience with our users, developers, and businesses. "
And Google says that there is a huge opportunity in the AI field ahead.
Google's top priority these days is by far AI, but with ChatGPT on the horizon and Microsoft reportedly incorporating ChatGPT into its search engine, Bing , Google can't be beaten.