Google offers “voluntary exit” plan with severance pay for Pixel and Android employees

In brief: A leaked internal memo has revealed that Google is offering voluntary exit packages for employees working on the Pixel and Android teams it recently merged. Those not fully vibing with the new combined division can take a severance and peace out.

In an internal memo, Google SVP of Platforms & Devices Rick Osterloh announced that the voluntary separation program applies only to US-based staff. It’s aimed at those working on products like Pixel phones, Android, Chrome OS, Google Photos, Nest smart home devices, and the Fitbit wearables line.

The severance offers follow Google’s move to merge its Pixel hardware group with the Android software team, forming a single Platforms & Devices arm last October. According to Osterloh’s memo, the voluntary exit path is for any employees who may not be fully aligned with the unified division’s new mission or are struggling with their roles or hybrid work requirements following the reorganization.

As 9to5Google notes, Google will provide severance packages to anyone who asks, with more details to be shared internally soon. Interestingly, the voluntary exits are not tied to specific product roadmap changes.

Cutting costs has been a priority lately for Google’s new CFO, Anat Ashkenazi, who took over the position last October. During a recent earnings call, she emphasized the importance of “driving further efficiencies” across Alphabet’s operations.

Google has recently seen its Pixel smartphone sales reach new highs. Analysts from Counterpoint Research reported record volumes for the lineup in Q3 2024. Sadly, good performance doesn’t necessarily relieve an industry-wide trend to trim costs and streamline operations.

Google’s hardware division has also been no stranger to restructuring and layoffs. In January 2024, the Pixel/Nest/Fitbit teams underwent an organizational overhaul, moving to a unified hardware engineering structure. Google eliminated a few hundred roles in that sweep.

Of course, any significant brain drain from the exodus could create some short-term disruptions. For Google, taking this passive approach to rightsizing its combined Pixel/Android team – rather than broad layoffs – is the wisest path forward.