Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google has launched a voluntary exit program for choose US workers, providing severance packages to those that choose to go away the corporate.
- This system applies to workers within the Platforms & Units division, together with groups engaged on Pixel, Android, Chrome, Fitbit, Nest, and extra.
- The transfer follows final yr’s restructuring, which merged the Pixel {hardware} and Android software program divisions to speed up AI improvement.
Google is providing US workers in its Platforms & Units division — which incorporates groups behind Pixel, Android, Nest, Fitbit, and Chrome — an opportunity to go away the corporate voluntarily with a severance bundle. The transfer, first reported by 9to5Google, follows the tech big’s choice final yr to merge its Pixel {hardware} and Android software program groups right into a single unit, a shift now prompting additional organizational changes.
In an inside memo shared Thursday, Senior Vice President Rick Osterloh introduced the “voluntary exit program,” framing it as a chance for employees who really feel disconnected from the merged staff’s targets or who’re combating hybrid work insurance policies.
Right here’s Google’s assertion in full:
“The Platforms & Units staff is providing a voluntary exit program that gives US-based Googlers engaged on this staff the power to voluntarily depart the corporate with a severance bundle. This comes after we introduced two giant organizations collectively final yr. There’s great momentum on this staff and with a lot vital work forward, we wish everybody to be deeply dedicated to our mission and centered on constructing nice merchandise, with velocity and effectivity.”
The reorganization and exit program each tie again to Google’s AI ambitions. Merging Android and Pixel groups underneath one roof was designed to “velocity up decision-making” and guarantee tighter collaboration on AI initiatives, Osterloh defined final yr.
The voluntary exit program applies solely to US-based workers within the Platforms & Units group, which spans {hardware} (Pixel, Nest, Fitbit), Android ecosystems (Auto, TV, Put on OS, XR), and software program instruments like ChromeOS, Google Images, and Google One. Divisions like Search and AI are unaffected.
Osterloh famous that the voluntary exits tackle suggestions from workers who criticized Google’s dealing with of previous layoffs for not providing departure choices upfront. The memo acknowledges that some workers could not really feel absolutely aligned with the division’s broader mission. Reasonably than imposing involuntary job cuts — a minimum of for now — Google is giving workers a option to step away.
That mentioned, Google’s broader cost-cutting efforts can’t be ignored. Final yr, Alphabet’s new CFO mentioned the corporate was centered on “driving additional efficiencies,” a phrase usually related to lowering overhead prices. Whereas Google has not introduced layoffs as a part of this initiative, it stays to be seen whether or not this can be a preemptive measure to trim headcount earlier than any extra drastic selections are made.
