Google Warns Staff Of 'Fewer Promotions' To Senior Roles Due To 'Slower Pace Of Hiring'

Google has warned its employees that it is promoting fewer people to senior roles this year, just weeks after the tech giant announced that it's cutting 12,000 jobs, or about 6% of the workforce.

In an email to staff Monday, Google said that the recent move was made to match the number of staff in senior and leadership roles with the company's growth amid its hiring slowdown.

"This is to ensure that the number of Googlers in more senior and leadership roles grows in proportion to the growth of the company," the company wrote, according to Business Insider.

The email was reportedly sent to announce the start of the company's first promotion process for 2023, known internally as the Googler Reviews and Development (GRAD).

"The process is manager-led and will be largely similar to last year — though with our slower pace of hiring, we are planning for fewer promotions into L6 and above than when Google was growing quickly," the company wrote in the email, according to Business Insider. The L6 distinction refers to the first level of staff that's considered senior and typically includes employees with about a decade of experience.

"If your manager believes that you are ready to be promoted, they will nominate you," the email said, adding that workers in technical roles can self-nominate between March 6 and 8.

A Google spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the company is planning for fewer promotions into senior and leadership roles this year. However, the company said that the change would not impact lower levels.

Earlier, CNBC reported that under the company's new performance review system GRAD, more Google employees will be at risk for low performance ratings, and fewer are expected to reach high marks.

The new system caused widespread anxiety among Google employees after its announcement last year. Some managers were reportedly "pressured to apply a quota," workers and employee representatives wrote in a letter obtained by The New York Times.

In its latest attempt to cut costs amid economic concerns, Google has allegedly started to lay off some of its employees in China, according to Beijing-based tech media outlet Pandaily.

The recent round of layoffs reportedly affected senior positions and high-wage employees, as per the outlet, as Google's China division tries to reset the salary standard and reduce operating costs.