January 11, 2024 – Google has confirmed in an emailed statement that it is implementing layoffs across several teams, stating, “Organizational changes, including the elimination of certain roles globally, are ongoing within certain teams.”
According to Bloomberg, the tech giant has initiated a new round of layoffs affecting hundreds of employees. Those impacted include staff from the Google Assistant voice assistant division, as well as the hardware departments for Pixel phones, Fitbit watches, and Nest smart speakers. Notably, even some employees from core engineering teams have been affected.
The New York Times reported that some employees received notifications stating, “We’ve had to make some difficult decisions about the continued employment of some Google employees. We’re sorry to inform you that your role is being eliminated.”
Previously, IT Home reported that Google has undergone several rounds of layoffs over the past year. In January 2023, the company announced a 6% reduction in its workforce, amounting to 12,000 employees, marking the largest layoff in the company’s history. Google executives attributed this move to their focus on the growing field of generative AI, stating their intention to significantly reduce costs wherever possible.
As per official Google data, Alphabet employed 182,381 individuals as of September 30, 2023. Assuming that the current round of layoffs affects 1,000 employees, it would account for approximately 0.5% of the company’s total workforce.
