Google has fired around 35% managers in the past one year: Here’s why

Google

Google is slimming down its management ranks in a big way. Over the past year, the company has cut about 35% of its managers who oversaw very small teams, an executive confirmed at an all-hands meeting last week, a report by CNBC reveals

Brian Welle, Google’s vice president of people analytics and performance, told employees that the goal is to make the company run faster and with less bureaucracy. “Right now, we have 35% fewer managers, with fewer direct reports than at this time a year ago,” he said. Many of these managers were not let go entirely — instead, they shifted back into individual contributor roles.

The move comes after a string of layoffs, buyouts, and reorganizations that have left employees worried about job security. Google CEO Sundar Pichai repeated the message that the company needs to “be more efficient as we scale up so we don’t solve everything with headcount.”

In 2023, Google laid off about 6% of its workforce, and since then, it has been trimming costs across various divisions. The company has also introduced “Voluntary Exit Programs” (VEPs), offering buyouts to employees in areas like search, marketing, hardware, and people operations. Between 3% and 5% of workers in those teams have accepted the offers, many of them citing the need for a break or time with family.

Fiona Cicconi, Google’s chief people officer, said the buyouts have been “quite successful,” adding that many employees liked having a choice rather than facing sudden layoffs. Pichai agreed, calling the program “a lot of work, but worth it” because it gave people “agency” over their careers.

Meanwhile, employees have been asking about perks like Meta’s one-month sabbatical program, but Google’s leadership brushed off the idea. Executives said they believe the company’s current benefits and vacation policies are already competitive.

For now, Google’s big bet is on running leaner, cutting layers of management, and keeping costs in check — even as its stock continues to climb and profits remain strong.