There there no slowing of the layoffs in the tech industry as Google announced restructuring plans, which involve some employees being laid off. Alphabet-owned Google is laying off an unspecified number of employees, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday, marking the latest cuts at the technology giant as it cracks down on costs.
The Google spokesperson said the layoffs are not company-wide and that affected employees will be able to apply for internal roles, but did not specify the number of employees impacted nor the teams involved.
Google layoffs
As per a report Ruth Porat, chief financial officer, Google sent a memo to employees informing them about company’s new plans. The layoffs will be impacting employees in Google’s finance division.
“The tech sector is in the midst of a tremendous platform shift with Al,” Porat wrote in the memo. “As a company, this means we have the opportunity to make more helpful products for billions of users and provide faster solutions to our customers, but it also means we collectively have to make tough decisions, including how and where we work to align with our highest priority areas.” Google didn’t confirm the exact number of employees being let go in the latest round of layoffs.
The layoffs follow a slew of job cuts across Google, and the tech and media industry this year, adding to fears that layoffs may continue as companies grapple with economic uncertainty.
Google cost cuts
Hundreds of workers across multiple teams were laid off by Google in January. This included engineering, hardware and assistant teams as the company ramps up investment and builds its artificial intelligence offerings.
Google shifts roles abroad
The restructuring will impact teams around the world, including those in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East, as per report. Google is also planning relocation to create more centralized hubs in Bangalore, Dublin, Mexico City, Atlanta and Chicago.
In her note, Porat said that change is difficult and Google is sad after employee layoffs. “We are sad to say goodbye to some talented teammates and friends we care about, and we know this change is difficult,” she said.
Job cuts in Tech companies
Tech giants continue to cut jobs in 2024. Companies like Tesla, Apple, and Amazon have implemented restructuring plans, leading to tens of thousands of layoffs globally. The 2024 job cuts come after a rough 2023 where thousands of employees were laid off. Reports suggest over 58,000 tech workers have been laid off so far in 2024.
At the beginning of the year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai had warned about layoffs continuing through 2024.
