Google is reportedly cracking down on non-essential travel, team happy hours and other company social gatherings as top executives aim to save cash
In an email last week, Google brass instructed some senior managers they should not approve spending on team-related social functions, full-team offsite events or travel to other in-person events that can be attended virtually, a report said Wednesday.
Google executives noted managers should maintain a “high bar” when considering whether to approve trips and should only sign off on those that are deemed business critical, according to The Information, which obtained a copy of the email.
“We recently shared guidance about taking a responsible approach on expense management, including travel and events,” Google said in a statement to the outlet on the policy shift.
“Different product areas and functions are implementing this in a way that works best for their teams, given their business needs,” the company added.
The Post has reached out to Google for comment on the report.
The belt-tightening measures mark a noteworthy shift for Google, which is widely known for providing its employees with a suite of extra benefits ranging from team ski trips to office sleep pods.
Google’s email said senior managers should review any travel and team functions to “ensure that we’re being thoughtful stewards of Google’s resources,” according to The Information. The directive also applies to trips and events that were already approved.
Earlier this week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai signaled that the company was wary of the current economic landscape and was taking steps to shore up its balance sheet. Pichai said he wants to make Google 20% more efficient and hinted that some job cuts could occur to achieve that goal.
“We want to make sure as a company, when you have fewer resources than before, you are prioritizing all the right things to be working on and your employees are really productive that they can actually have impact on the things they’re working on so that’s what we are spending our time on,” Pichai said during an appearance at Code Conference in Los Angeles.
Like several other tech giants, Google has slowed hiring over the last several months during a broader downturn in the industry.
In a July memo to employees, Pichai warned he felt that the company’s “productivity as a whole is not where it needs to be for the head count we have.”
