Google has reduced more than one-third of its managers who oversaw small teams, an executive told employees last week. The change is part of the company’s ongoing effort to cut bureaucracy and operate more efficiently.
“Right now, we have 35% fewer managers, with fewer direct reports than at this time a year ago,” said Brian Welle, vice president of people analytics and performance, during an all-hands meeting.
The reduction specifically targeted managers who supervised fewer than three employees. Many of them have remained at the company in individual contributor roles, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Employee Concerns and Leadership Response
At the meeting, employees raised questions about job security and internal culture following recent layoffs, buyouts, and restructuring. Welle said the company’s goal is to ensure managers, directors, and VPs make up a smaller portion of Google’s workforce over time.
CEO Sundar Pichai echoed the message, stressing the need for efficiency: “We need to be more efficient as we scale up so we don’t solve everything with headcount.”
Google has already eliminated around 6% of its workforce in 2023 and continued to implement cuts in multiple divisions this year.
Buyouts and Voluntary Exits
Alongside layoffs, Google has been offering voluntary exit programs (VEPs) across 10 product areas, including search, marketing, hardware, and people operations. Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi said between 3% and 5% of employees in those teams accepted buyouts, often to take career breaks or care for family members.
Pichai emphasized that the program was designed after employee feedback showed a preference for voluntary exits over broad layoffs.
The town hall also touched on employee benefits, with some staff asking if Google might adopt Meta’s month-long sabbatical program. Alexandra Maddison, Google’s senior director of benefits, said Google had no plans to introduce paid sabbaticals, pointing instead to its existing vacation and leave policies.
Pichai added with a laugh: “Should we incorporate all policies of Meta while we’re at it? Or should we only pick and choose the few policies we like?”
What The Author Thinks
Google’s decision to cut management layers makes sense from a cost and speed perspective, but it risks undermining morale at a time when employees already feel uncertain. The voluntary exit programs may soften the blow of layoffs, yet repeated restructuring can signal instability. If Google wants to retain top talent, it must balance efficiency with reassurance — otherwise, it risks losing skilled workers to competitors offering stability and clarity.
Featured image credit: Maurizio Pesce via Flickr
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