Current and former employees of Google are expressing their frustration with management on LinkedIn following the latest round of layoffs. Their grievances include the lack of a visionary leader, and the perceived lack of compassion and personal touch in handling job terminations. Software engineer Diane Hirsh Theriault called higher-ups at Google “profoundly boring and glassy-eyed” in her LinkedIn post. Kenneth Smith, a former engineering manager who was let go, expressed anger and frustration at Google’s leadership for how they have handled the layoffs.
Former employees are particularly upset over the fact that CEO Sundar Pichai did not communicate directly with those affected by the recent job cuts. Google’s track record of laying off 12,000 workers last year has left many employees feeling that the company has yet to learn from the experience. The frustrations and lack of faith in Google’s leadership are a key theme as the company looks to enforce another round of job cuts this year. Despite the internal turmoil, shares of Google parent company Alphabet Inc. rose more than 2% following these announcements.
The anger and disappointment expressed by current and former Google workers highlight the profound impact that management decisions have on employees. The lack of compassion and personal touch in dealing with layoffs has led to widespread frustration and skepticism among those facing continued job insecurity. Moreover, the news of more job cuts coming this year has created uncertainty and distrust in the company’s leadership. This situation emphasizes the need for companies to foster a culture of transparency, empathy, and meaningful communication, especially during times of upheaval.