(Source – San Francisco Chronicle)
In a significant restructuring move, Google has initiated mass layoffs affecting hundreds of workers across multiple corporate divisions, alongside the closure of a childcare facility near its Mountain View headquarters, according to a WARN notice filed on December 8 and obtained by SFGATE.
The tech giant filed three WARN notices on Wednesday and disclosed the permanent mass layoffs of 364 employees in Mountain View and 266 in Sunnyvale. Additionally, the company confirmed the termination of several hundred employees from diverse teams, including design and services, knowledge and information products, core engineering, and Google Assistant. Reports from 9to5Google, the New York Times, and Semafor suggest that the total number of affected workers may exceed 1,000.
Committed to supporting affected parents in finding alternative childcare solutions
Among the mass layoffs, a notable development is the closure of a childcare facility near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, affecting 73 employees. The WARN notice indicated that the layoffs are anticipated to be permanent, and the school is scheduled to cease operations in August. This move may impact working parents within the company and potentially affect Google’s recruitment efforts, particularly after the reduction of other perks, such as tech replacements and office food offerings in the preceding year.
Courtenay Mencini, a spokesperson for Google, assured SFGATE that the company is committed to supporting affected parents in finding alternative childcare solutions. She mentioned that the school, slated for closure, had 300 enrollment spots. The corporate layoffs are expected to commence on March 10 and could extend until October, as outlined in the WARN notices.
Similar large-scale layoff
Mancini defended the company’s actions, stating that Google is “responsibly investing in our company’s biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead.” She explained that various teams are undergoing efficiency-focused organizational changes, leading to some role eliminations globally. Despite the mass layoffs, Mancini did not confirm if there were additional cuts beyond the reported figures.
As of September’s end, Google had 182,381 employees, according to an October filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Alphabet Workers Union, advocating for the representation of all Google workers, criticized the layoffs as “needless” in a post on X. This announcement follows a similar large-scale layoff in the previous year, where Google cut 12,000 employees, contributing to the broader trend of job cuts in the tech industry and the Bay Area.
With the latest workforce reductions, Google aims to navigate the evolving landscape and position itself strategically amid ongoing industry challenges, emphasizing efficiency and prioritizing key initiatives for sustained growth.
