Google is offering buyouts to employees in search and ads units

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Google has announced new changes to its workplace policies in the US, including expanding its return-to-office (RTO) rules and offering voluntary buyouts to some employees. 

This comes as part of the company’s effort to stay agile and efficient, especially as AI becomes more central to its work.

The changes were shared through an internal memo and confirmed by Business Insider. 

Employees in several teams, including Core, Marketing, Research, Knowledge & Information (K&I), and Communications, are being offered a Voluntary Exit Program (VEP). 

This program allows eligible employees to leave the company with a severance package if they feel unaligned with Google’s current direction or are struggling with their roles. 

The K&I group includes important areas like Google Search, ads, and e-commerce.

At the same time, Google is tightening its return-to-office policy. Previously, many employees were asked to come in three days a week, with some flexibility to work remotely at times. 

Now, employees in affected teams who live within 50 miles of a Google office will be required to work in a hybrid model, meaning they must return to the office part of the week.

Google says these moves are not about cutting jobs but about ensuring employees are motivated and fully engaged in the company’s mission. 

However, it’s unclear how many people these changes will affect, and some are concerned it may lead to more layoffs. 

In recent years, Google has already cut thousands of jobs across multiple departments, including major layoffs in 2023 and additional ones in 2024.

The memo from Jen Fitzpatrick, a senior executive, emphasizes that in-person work helps teams connect, collaborate, and innovate faster, all things that are especially important as Google focuses more on AI development. 

While the company insists the new buyout offers are voluntary and not part of a downsizing plan, the shift shows Google is pushing for a more focused and energetic workforce to meet its evolving goals.

What are your thoughts on buyouts as an alternative to layoffs? Do you think Google is making the better move here? Tell us below in the comments, or via our Twitter or Facebook.