Google's Workforce Faces Uncertainty Amid Layoff Concerns
Despite its position as one of the wealthiest companies in the world, Google is tightening its belt, leaving thousands of employees worried about their future. Over the past year, the tech sector has been hit hard by mass layoffs, and even Google’s workforce—once thought to be secure—has not been spared.
As performance reviews approached this week, over 1,300 Google employees signed a petition through the Alphabet Workers Union (AWU), urging the company to adopt fairer layoff policies. Their demands included:
Guaranteed severance packages for all laid-off employees.
Voluntary layoff options, allowing employees to leave with compensation rather than face sudden terminations.
An end to the current performance review system, which many believe serves as a tool for mass layoffs rather than genuine employee evaluation.
"Ongoing rounds of layoffs make us feel insecure about our jobs," the petition stated. "The company is clearly in a strong financial position, making the loss of so many valuable colleagues without explanation hurt even more."
Google Responds—But Is It Enough?
In response, Google announced a "voluntary exit program" for U.S. employees in its Platforms and Devices division—home to teams working on Pixel, Android, Chrome, Fitbit, and Nest.
While this temporary measure appears to be a step in the right direction, the AWU remains skeptical, arguing that one-off offers do not address deeper systemic issues in the company's employment practices.
“We are happy to see material progress in response to our concerns," said Alan McAvinney, a Google software engineer and AWU organizing chair, "but we continue to demand that Google commit to practices like offers of voluntary buyouts and fair terms of severance by codifying them in its actual written policies.”
Reports suggest that this voluntary exit offer does include severance packages, but concerns linger over whether Google will institutionalize fair layoff policies in the long term.
AI Growth vs. Employee Stability
Although AI investment is surging across the tech industry, layoffs have not entirely stopped. Google has been restructuring aggressively, consolidating teams and shifting resources to focus on artificial intelligence.
January 2023: Google reorganized its hardware teams, leading to hundreds of layoffs.
April 2023: Google merged its Android and hardware divisions, aligning them with its AI-first strategy.
Current: The company continues to outsource labor, cutting costs on in-house workers while funding AI research and development.
“By combining teams,” said Google SVP Rick Osterloh, “Google can now move much faster to integrate AI across all of its products.”
Google’s financial reports reinforce this shift: in Q3 2023, the company posted a 15% revenue increase, generating $26.3 billion in profit. However, instead of expanding its workforce, Google has leaned on contractors and third-party firms to develop its AI models—reducing full-time positions and worsening job security for existing employees.
The Cost of Google's Strategy
This shift has left full-time employees overworked and uncertain about their job security, while contract workers—who often refine Google’s AI models—work for lower wages, fewer benefits, and without union representation.
The Alphabet Workers Union and employees across the company are pushing for lasting reform, demanding more transparency, fair severance policies, and protections against arbitrary layoffs.
For now, Google’s workforce remains on edge, watching closely to see whether the company truly values its employees or simply sees them as expendable assets in its AI-driven future.
