Google Lays Off About 200 Employees, Calls It a 'Small' Adjustment

Google, the American tech giant, has confirmed reports of job cuts at its global business unit—the division responsible for sales and partnerships. The Alphabet-owned company reportedly laid off around 200 employees as part of its ongoing operational restructuring.

The layoffs were first reported by The Information. Later, in a statement to Reuters, Google said it was making a small number of changes across teams “to drive greater collaboration and expand our ability to quickly and effectively serve our customers.”

Reports suggest the tech giant is reallocating resources across Alphabet, as Big Tech companies ramp up investments in data centre expansion and AI development.

These latest layoffs are part of a broader wave of job cuts that began in early 2023. Just last month, hundreds were laid off from Google’s platforms and devices division, which includes Android, Pixel, and Chrome. The company continues to scale back in non-core areas as it shifts focus to emerging technologies.

In January 2023, Google’s parent company Alphabet cut 12,000 jobs—around 6% of its global workforce—citing economic challenges and the need to streamline operations. By the end of 2024, Alphabet’s headcount stood at over 183,000.

Google isn’t alone in trimming its workforce. Meta recently laid off 5% of employees rated as underperformers. Microsoft reduced staff in its Xbox division, Amazon scaled back several business units, and Apple quietly cut roles in its digital services segment.

Layoffs Amid Slower Ad Sales Growth

The job cuts come just days after Alphabet reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2025. Revenue from Google’s core advertising business, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of total revenue, rose 8.5% to $66.89 billion—a slowdown from the previous quarter’s 10.6% growth, though still above analysts’ expectations of a 7.7% rise, according to Reuters.

Alphabet posted total revenue of $90.23 billion for the January–March period, with earnings of $2.81 per share. Capital expenditure for the quarter surged 43% year-on-year to $17.2 billion.