Google, owned by Alphabet, is starting to lay off employees as part of its plan to reduce costs, a spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.
The exact number of employees affected has not been disclosed, but those impacted will have opportunities to apply for other jobs within the company. The layoffs are focused on specific teams rather than being company-wide.
Some of the roles affected will be moved to key locations like India, Chicago, Atlanta, and Dublin, as Google concentrates its investments in these regions.
This move comes amid job reductions in the tech and media sectors, driven by ongoing economic uncertainties that are prompting companies to streamline their operations.
Google’s restructuring aims to improve efficiency, align resources with important product goals, and reduce layers within the organization.
These changes have been ongoing since the latter half of 2023 and into 2024. Reports indicate that teams in Google’s real estate and finance departments, including treasury, business services, and revenue operations, have been affected.
Ruth Porat, Google’s finance chief, informed employees about the restructuring plans, highlighting new growth opportunities in Bangalore, Mexico City, and Dublin.
This shows Google’s strategic shift in its global operations, focusing on growth in emerging markets while optimizing operations in other areas.
Earlier this year, Google made significant job cuts in engineering, hardware, and assistant teams as part of its efforts to expand investments and enhance capabilities in artificial intelligence.
CEO Sundar Pichai had reportedly warned employees about possible job cuts at the beginning of the year, aligning with the company’s broader restructuring objectives.