Google has cut its management positions by 10% as part of an ongoing efficiency drive, CEO Sundar Pichai revealed in a company-wide meeting. In an all-hands meeting on Wednesday, December 18, Pichai detailed the reduction across manager, director, and vice president roles, according to sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Business Insider.
Some positions were eliminated entirely, while others were converted to individual contributor roles, a Google spokesperson confirmed. The restructuring took place over the past two years.
Google going the ‘Amazon way’
Google’s move echoes Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s recent directive to eliminate “pre-meetings for pre-meetings” and increase individual contributors by 15% by the first quarter of 2025. Both tech giants are dismantling layers of middle management that they say slow down decision-making and innovation.
The moves come as Google faces mounting pressure from AI competitors, particularly OpenAI, whose innovations have challenged Google’s core search business.
“Googleyness” needs updation
Google’s efficiency campaign, launched in September 2022, with Pichai’s goal of making the company 20% more efficient, is said to have already resulted in significant changes, including January 2023’s biggest-ever job cuts at the company, numbering around 12,000 employees. The latest management reduction demonstrates the company’s continued commitment to streamlining operations.
During the same meeting, Pichai addressed the evolution of Google’s corporate culture, noting that the concept of “Googleyness” needed updating for the modern era. The CEO’s comments suggest a broader transformation as the company adapts to new competitive realities in the AI age.