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    Google offers ‘voluntary exit’ to all US platforms and devices employees
    Futurology

    Google offers ‘voluntary exit’ to all US platforms and devices employees

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    1. Yveliad on

      From the article:

      **Google offers ‘voluntary exit’ to all US platforms and devices employees. Those who leave will get severance, and the company wants anyone that stays to be ‘deeply committed’ to its mission.**

      A year ago, Google started off 2024 with some layoffs. It hasn’t taken similar steps (yet) in 2025, but employees are fearing the worst. And if the Platforms and Devices team is anything to go by, there’s ample reason for concern. Google has distributed a memo to all US employees working on Android, Pixel hardware, and other projects that offers a “voluntary exit program” guaranteeing severance for anyone willing to step away from their role at the company. The memo went out from platforms and devices SVP Rick Osterloh, according to 9to5Google.

      “This comes after we brought two large organizations together last year,” Osterloh wrote. “There’s tremendous momentum on this team and with so much important work ahead, we want everyone to be deeply committed to our mission and focused on building great products, with speed and efficiency.” Voluntary buyouts can often be a precursor to layoffs if not enough employees take Google up on its offer and choose to leave.

      Google combined its Android and hardware teams under Osterloh in April. Executives said the streamlined approach would help it integrate AI features across products and services more quickly.

      A few months later in October, Alphabet’s chief finance officer Anat Ashkenazi said she would prioritize “cost efficiencies” throughout the company. “There’s really good work that was done, started by Ruth, Sundar and the rest of the lead team to re-engineer the cost base,” she said during her first earnings call as CFO. “But I think any organization can always push a little further and I’ll be looking at additional opportunities.” The cost-cutting measures are partly designed to offset Google pouring so much money into AI.

      Some employees at Google have recently been circulating a petition that calls for CEO Sundar Pichai to offer exactly this type of optional buyout before resorting to involuntary layoffs. “Ongoing rounds of layoffs make us feel insecure about our jobs,” the petition said, according to CNBC. “The company is clearly in a strong financial position, making the loss of so many valuable colleagues without explanation hurt even more.”

      At least for the time being, it appears the voluntary exit program hasn’t been extended to other divisions within Google like search or the DeepMind AI team.

    2. DoctorBocker on

      “Deeply committed to the mission” yikes.

      They’re gonna be grinding you up and feeding you to the AI through a giant straw.

    3. crappy_ninja on

      > the company wants anyone that stays to be ‘deeply committed’ to its mission.

      So basically they want people to work extra hours for free.

    6. BleuRaider on

      If you would have told someone 15 years ago that Google would be known as being a terrible place to work they would have laughed in your face.

    7. Jollygreen182 on

      At least it’s voluntary first instead of meta laying of “lowest 5% of preforms”. Quickly creating an environment for peer sabotage.

    8. BigMax on

      If all the layoffs/buyouts at Google, Facebook, Microsoft, etc aren’t an argument for dramatically decreasing the H1B program, then I don’t know what is.

    9. jflatt2 on

      I’ve ignored two “voluntary exits” in my career. I regret not taking the severance package each time

    10. n3u7r1n0 on

      My company a big tech company paid me to leave last year and I was the “senior engineer” on the infrastructure engineering team for unified communications(think phone and data services) and various network related services. These companies truly believe they can get by without competent engineers with 20 years experience at this point. People that don’t think this movement will affect their jobs let’s talk in 2 years about how things are going.

    11. SeminaryStudentARH on

      I’m at the point where I feel like giving up on technology altogether and going back to old school ways of doing things. I’ve already cut out almost all streaming services except YouTube, and really want to get rid of my phone.

    12. Morty_A2666 on

      “Executives said the streamlined approach would help it integrate AI features across products and services more quickly.” So translating from corporate BS language, they are planning on replacing some of their work force with AI.

      Also “Company wants anyone that stays to be ‘deeply committed’ to its mission.” Means they will make you work harder for less. Just like Facebook. 🙂

      I just cannot wait to see how this will bite them back, Google, Facebook and others…

    13. fatbunyip on

      I mean it’s pretty normal. 

      They merged the pixel, Fitbit and nest hardware teams and the android, chrome/OS teams. So there’s gonna be a bunch of overlap. 

      It’s been a few months so most likely a bunch of people know their old job doesn’t exist or they’re being moved sideways or their career path got blocked. 

      The deeply committed I would translate as I don’t want anyone bitching that their pet project is being run by a guy from a diff department”