Work is getting a lot more like work at Google.
The tech giant once mocked in some quarters as “adult daycare” for its amenities is cutting back.
A memo sent to staff said some office cafés will have shorter hours and there will be a consolidation of micro kitchens, according to Business Insider.
“We set a high bar for industry-leading perks, benefits and office amenities, and will continue that into the future. However, some programs need to evolve for how Google works today,” the company said in the memo.
2013: Welcome to Google, your job is to sit in the ball pit and wave your arms around and yell “I’m helping the world!” while one of our full-time chefs feeds you foie gras
2023: Welcome to Google, no you may not have a staplerhttps://t.co/FEK90OF26C
— Noah Smith (@Noahpinion) April 4, 2023
Google tried to sell the changes by saying they “will reduce food waste and be better for the environment” while coincidentally helping the company’s bottom line.
“We’re adjusting our office services to the new hybrid workweek. Cafes, MicroKitchens and other facilities will be tailored to better match how and when they are being used,” the memo said.
“For example, where a cafe is seeing a significantly lower volume of use on certain days, we’ll close it on those days and put more focus instead on popular options that are close by,” the memo said, adding that it will “consolidate MicroKitchens in buildings where we’re seeing more waste than value.”
“We’ll also shift some fitness classes and shuttle schedules based on how they’re being used,” the memo added.
As noted by Business Insider, the memo comes amid an environment in which Google is cutting 12,000 jobs.
The memo said the company also wants to cut costs by “getting more out of our servers and data centers,” reducing equipment upgrades for employees and funding “more scalable and efficient ways” to develop its AI models.
A Google document cited by The Register said that having staff in the office for only part of a week has changed things quite a bit.
“Now that most of us are in three days a week, we noticed our supply/demand ratios are a bit out of sync: We’ve baked too many muffins on a Monday, seen gBuses [Google’s campus shuttle buses] run with just one passenger, and offered yoga classes on a Friday afternoon where folk are more likely to be working from home,” the document said.
A report in the Daily Wire citing disclosures Google made in a California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification said at least 31 massage therapists and 21 members of the trust and safety department have lost their jobs.
Google workers in London stage walkout over job cuts https://t.co/FmaR9pS2l8 pic.twitter.com/zt94L7oREm
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 4, 2023
The worldwide job cuts sparked a protest Tuesday by Google workers in London, according to Reuters.
“Our members are clear: Google needs to listen to its own advice of not being evil,” said Matt Whaley, regional officer of the trade group Unite that represents some Google workers.
“They and Unite will not back down until Google allows workers full union representation, engages properly with the consultation process and treats its staff with the respect and dignity they deserve,” he said.
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