Google is offering some UK employees money to leave the company

Google is giving some of its employees in the UK the option to leave the company  and get paid for it. According to a Business Insider report, an email went out to staff this week offering a voluntary exit package, which means employees can choose to resign and still receive severance. Google confirmed the offer but didn’t say which teams were included or how many people are eligible.

According to the company, this is the same kind of programme it introduced in the US earlier this year. A Google spokesperson said the UK version is meant to support the company’s plans going forward. They also said Google is still committed to the UK and is continuing to hire for important roles, especially in areas linked to AI.

The move isn’t surprising. Big tech companies have been rethinking their staffing this year as they try to become more efficient and focus more heavily on artificial intelligence. Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have all cut jobs or offered similar buyouts. Google itself employs over 7,000 people in the UK, so even a small voluntary programme can affect a lot of workers.

In the US, Google has already offered voluntary exits in several teams, including its Android and Core engineering groups. The company has been clear internally that it is reorganising around AI, and that employees who aren’t particularly excited about this new direction can choose to leave with a package.