Google announces mass layoffs in Ad Sales Team
Google announces mass layoffs in Ad Sales Team
Google, one of the world’s leading tech giants, has recently confirmed significant layoffs, affecting over a thousand employees globally. The layoffs span across various departments, including digital assistant, hardware, engineering, and now, Google’s ad sales team. As the company aims to streamline operations and cut expenses, the ad sales team is witnessing a restructuring that will impact several hundred roles worldwide.
A memo circulated by Google senior vice president Philipp Schindler reveals that the latest round of layoffs primarily targets the ad sales team. Google spokesperson Chris Pappas stated that the company undergoes an annual process to structure the ad sales team, aligning it with customer service needs. Unfortunately, this process has led to the elimination of a few hundred roles globally.
Affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for open positions within Google.
Google’s ongoing efforts to reduce expenses and improve efficiency are the driving force behind these layoffs. In the latter half of 2023, several organizational changes were initiated to align resources with top product priorities. The large customer sales (LCS) unit, responsible for ads targeting large businesses, faces the brunt of these changes. Meanwhile, the Google Customer Solutions team (GCS), focusing on smaller businesses, emerges as the new core ad sales team.
The recent layoff announcement suggests that job cuts might persist throughout the year. Companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) software and automation to streamline operations. Google, in particular, is expected to make substantial job cuts in 2024, with reports indicating a reliance on AI-powered tools for ad creation and management.
Industry-Wide Trends
Google is not alone in this trend, as Amazon has also announced layoffs in its streaming and studio operations. Amazon’s strategic move includes assigning lower performance ratings to employees not complying with the Return to Office (RTO) policy, leading to speculation about a broader ‘quiet firing’ strategy.
As technology companies embrace automation and AI tools, job cuts become a recurring theme. Google’s restructuring, especially in the ad sales team, reflects the broader industry shift towards efficiency and automation.
The affected employees have the opportunity to explore other roles within Google, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting its workforce during these organizational changes.
