Google layoffs in 2023 affected about 6% of the company’s global workforce, or about 12,000 people, starting in January.
Google’s layoffs aren’t necessarily a signal that the company isn’t doing well. The company’s market cap has nearly quadrupled since 2015, reaching $1.7 trillion.
Leaked audio from a Google’s all-hands meeting in December 2023 revealed Pichai saying it was not the best idea to inform all employees impacted by the layoffs simultaneously
“I think it’s something we could have done differently for sure,” he said.
He also said the decision to cut off access to work accounts immediately after announcing the cuts was very difficult
“I wish we’d been more low key when we fired all of those people, now give me sympathy for my very hard job”