Google Reduces Number of Managers by 35% and Expands Voluntary Departure Programs

Google has announced significant measures to simplify its management structure and enhance the efficiency of its operations, having let go of more than a third of its managers overseeing small teams over the past year.
This came during a comprehensive meeting held last week, according to an audio recording. Brian Weil, Vice President of HR Analytics and Performance, stated: "We currently have 35% fewer managers, with fewer direct reports" compared to the same period last year. He added: "We are seeing rapid and significant progress".
According to a source familiar with the network, the targeted reduction includes managers overseeing fewer than three people, with many of them being transitioned to roles as individual contributors within the company instead of being laid off.
Executives confirmed that the strategic goal of this move is to reduce bureaucracy and lead the company more efficiently. Weil clarified the long-term vision, saying: "When we look at our entire leadership team, including managers, board members, and vice presidents, we want them to be a smaller percentage of our total workforce over time".
For his part, CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the need for the company to be "more efficient as we expand so that we do not have to solve all problems through the number of employees".
The meeting also revealed details about the voluntary departure programs that Google launched at the beginning of the year. Fiona Cicconi, Chief Human Resources Officer, explained that between 3% and 5% of employees in ten product areas (including research, marketing, devices, and U.S. HR operations) accepted compensation offers for voluntary departure.
Cicconi considered this outcome a significant success, stating: "This has been extremely successful", adding: "I believe we are able to continue".
For his part, Pichai clarified that these programs came in response to employee desires, saying: "A lot of effort has been put into implementing the voluntary exit program, and I am happy that we succeeded in that". He continued: "It gives employees the freedom to act, and I am pleased to see that it has succeeded".
These measures come in the wake of layoffs affecting about 6% of the workforce in 2023, and are part of a broader strategy for the parent company Alphabet to cut costs, with new CFO Anat Ashkenazi pledging to push these reductions "further", focusing on achieving more with fewer resources.