- Alphabet is the latest big tech company to announce mass layoffs.
- An estimated 12 000 Google employees globally have been informed that they are being let go.
- The massive cut represents roughly 6 percent of the company’s workforce.
This week has seen three big tech players announce mass layoffs. The latest is Google, with its parent company Alphabet confirming that 12 000 employees are being told that they have lost their jobs.
Explaining the reasoning behind the decision, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai noted that, “We’ve decided to reduce our workforce by approximately 12,000 roles. We’ve already sent a separate email to employees in the US who are affected. In other countries, this process will take longer due to local laws and practices.”
Much like Amazon, Google has outlined the exit packages for its employees set to leave the company.
The organisation has confirmed that:
- “We’ll pay employees during the full notification period (minimum 60 days).
- We’ll also offer a severance package starting at 16 weeks salary plus two weeks for every additional year at Google, and accelerate at least 16 weeks of GSU vesting.
- We’ll pay 2022 bonuses and remaining vacation time.
- We’ll be offering 6 months of healthcare, job placement services, and immigration support for those affected.
- Outside the US, we’ll support employees in line with local practices.”
As for why this massive cut was implemented, which represents roughly 6 percent of Google’s workforce, Pichai was not forthcoming. He did, however, mention that investments in AI may be able to help the company cushion the blow of letting so many employees go.
“I am confident about the huge opportunity in front of us thanks to the strength of our mission, the value of our products and services, and our early investments in AI. To fully capture it, we’ll need to make tough choices,” he continued.
With the tech winter having continued into 2023, in the space of two weeks, we have seen the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, and now Alphabet, let go of sizeable chucks of staff.
