Google has confirmed that approximately 5% of employees across its marketing, search, people operations, and hardware divisions have opted into its Voluntary Exit Programme (VEP) this year.
The initiative, introduced in early 2025, is part of the tech giant’s broader effort to streamline operations, reduce management layers, and offer employees a dignified alternative to layoffs.
The VEP allows eligible employees to voluntarily exit the company with financial support, career transition assistance, and in some cases, extended healthcare coverage.
According to Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi, the programme has been “quite successful,” with many participants citing personal reasons such as family care, sabbaticals, or career breaks.
A Shift Toward Leaner Leadership and Operational Efficiency at Google
The VEP rollout coincides with Google’s ongoing restructuring under CEO Sundar Pichai, who has emphasized the need for efficiency and agility as the company scales.
In parallel with the voluntary exits, Google has reduced its management layers by 35%, targeting roles that oversee fewer than three employees or serve primarily as individual contributors.
Brian Welle, Vice President of People Analytics and Performance, explained that the company aims to reduce the proportion of managers, directors, and vice presidents in its overall workforce.
“We want leadership to be a smaller percentage of our organization over time,” Brian said, adding that many former managers have transitioned into individual contributor roles to retain their expertise while flattening the hierarchy.
Employee Sentiment and Cultural Implications
The VEP has received mixed reactions internally.
While some employees appreciate the flexibility and transparency of the programme, others view it as a soft exit strategy that masks deeper structural changes.
At a recent town hall, employees asked whether Google would consider sabbatical options similar to Meta’s “recharge” leave.
Fiona responded that while Google’s existing leave policies are robust, the company remains open to evolving its benefits in line with employee needs.
The VEP is seen as a more humane alternative to blanket layoffs, which have affected several tech companies over the past two years.
Google itself reduced its workforce by 6% in 2023 and implemented targeted layoffs in teams such as Android and Pixel in early 2024.
Strategic Context: Balancing Growth and Headcount
CEO Sundar Pichai has repeatedly stressed that Google must grow without relying solely on headcount expansion.
“We need to be more efficient as we scale up, so we don’t solve everything with headcount,” he said during the August 2025 all-hands meeting.
Google is aligning its restructuring efforts with its increased focus on artificial intelligence, cloud services, and hardware innovation.
By reducing layers and offering voluntary exits, Google aims to create a more agile organization capable of responding quickly to market shifts and technological advancements.
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