Sundar Pichai’s mail to staff as Google announces 12,000 layoffs: Full text
3 min read 20 Jan 2023, 05:05 PM ISTSundar Pichai also mentioned in the email that Google would support the impacted employees through 2022 bonuses, healthcare, job placement services, and immigration support

Just as Google parent Alphabet announces 12,000 job cuts, CEO Sundar Pichai’s mail to its staff started circulating on social media. Alphabet announced about 12,000 layoffs globally on Friday, becoming the latest US tech giant to enact large-scale restructuring. In his mail to its staff, Sundar Pichai said he was taking full responsibility for the decision. Sundar Pichai also said that he was “deeply sorry" for the layoffs at Alphabet.
Sundar Pichai also mentioned in the email that Google would support the impacted employees through 2022 bonuses, healthcare, job placement services, and immigration support. Below is Sundar Pichai’s email as Google employees await more news on the layoffs.
SUNDAR PICHAI’S EMAIL TO EMPLOYEES ANNOUNCING LAYOFFS: FULL TEXT
Googlers,
I have some difficult news to share. We've decided to reduce our workforce by approximately 12,000 roles. We've already sent a separate email to employees in the US who are affected. In other countries, this process will take longer due to local laws and practices.
This will mean saying goodbye to some incredibly talented people we worked hard to hire and have loved working with. I'm deeply sorry for that. The fact that these changes will impact the lives of Googlers weighs heavily on me, and take full responsibility for the decisions that led us here.
Over the past two years we've seen periods of dramatic growth. To match and fuel that growth, we hired for a different economic reality than the one we face today.
I am confident about the huge opportunity in front of us thanks to the strength of our mission, the value of our products and services, and our early investments in AL. To fully capture K, we'll need to make tough choices. So, we've undertaken a rigorous review across product areas and functions to ensure that our people and roles are aligned with our highest priorities as a company. The roles we're eliminating reflect the outcome of that review. They cut across Alphabet, product areas, functions, levels and regions.
To the Googlers who are leaving us: Thank you for working so hard to help people and businesses everywhere. Your contributions have been invaluable and we are grateful for them.
While this transition won't be easy, we're going to support employees as they look for their next opportunity (you can find more details here)
In the US:
- We'll pay employees during the full notification period (minimum 60 days).
- We'll also offer a severance package starting at 16 weeks salary plus two weeks for every additional year at Google, and accelerate at least 16 weeks of GSU vesting
- We'll pay 2022 bonuses and remaining vacation time. We'll be offering 6 months of healthcare, job placement services, and immigration support for those affected.
- Outside the US, we'll support employees in line with local practices.
As an almost 25-year-old company, we're bound to go through difficult economic cycles. These are important moments to sharpen our focus, re-engineer our cost base, and direct our talent and capital to our highest priorities.
Being constrained in some areas allows us to bet big on others. Pivoting the company to be Al-first years ago led to groundbreaking advances across our businesses and the whole industry.
Thanks to those early investments, Google's products are better than ever. And we're getting ready to share some entirely new experiences for users, developers and businesses, too. We have a substantial opportunity in front of us with Al across our products and are prepared to approach it boldly and responsibly.
All this work is a continuation of the "healthy disregard for the impossible that's been core to our culture from the beginning. When look around Google today, I see that same spirit and energy driving our efforts. That's why remain optimistic about our ability to deliver on our mission, even on our toughest days. Today is certainly one of them.
I'm sure you have many questions about how we'll move forward. We'll be organizing a town hall on Monday. Check your calendar for details. Until then, please take good care of yourselves as you absorb this difficult news. As part of that, if you are just starting your work day, please feel free to work from home today.
Sundar
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