Google extends voluntary buyout offers to employees in several countries
Google expanded voluntary exit offers in June to some employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland as Alphabet seeks to rein in costs while investing heavily in AI.
1. Offers expanded globally
Google said it began offering voluntary exit packages in June to some employees in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. The company did not disclose how many employees accepted the latest offers.
2. Swiss program details
In Switzerland, where Google employs about 5,000 people, the packages covered multiple divisions but excluded DeepMind, three people familiar with the matter said. Employees who accepted received one month’s salary for each year of service, up to 12 months; one person said at least four employees in a team of about 50 accepted.
3. AI and cloud priorities
Google’s latest offers appear to follow the pattern of earlier programs that excluded employees in Google Cloud and DeepMind. Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi has identified AI and cloud computing as key hiring priorities.
