According to recent reports, Google has made some significant cuts to its senior ranks, specifically within its news aggregating service, Google News. While the exact number of affected roles has not been disclosed, it appears that approximately three dozen employees were let go.
These cuts were described as "director decapitations," signaling a targeted approach. At an all-hands meeting, Shailesh Prakash, the Vice President of Google News, mentioned that the layoffs were part of an effort to streamline the company.
Prakash also acknowledged that Google had hired a surplus of employees during the pandemic and referred to the current situation as a "reckoning." The increase in the number of employees in Level 8 and Level 9 roles, which typically come with significant salaries ranging from $1 million to $2 million per year, was specifically highlighted during the meeting. Google has not yet provided any official comment on the matter.