Google has decided to remove some employee perks it has been famous for in the past. This is part of the company’s efforts to reduce its costs and focus on its Artificial Intelligence projects.
According to a memo obtained by Business Insider, Google’s chief financial officer Ruth Porat notified the staff about the company’s plans to cut on a number of previous services and perks that have been available in the past. This includes removing snack bars and microkitchens, closing in-house café on days when a small number of workers are in the office, and eliminating the free massages. The company will also “shift some fitness classes and shuttle schedules” while changing its equipment upgrade policy.
“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,” wrote Porat in the memo.
The decision to remove a number of employee perks follows a previous plan for workforce reduction that was announced back in January. As a result of the plan, the company laid off 12,000 workers. The decision was made in order to help the company save money and allow investing in future projects, including AI.