Google's CEO said there are 'real concerns' over productivity at the company amid a 'challenging macro environment,' reports say

Beatrice Nolan

Mon, August 1, 2022 

• Google's CEO Sundar Pichai has raised concerns about the company's productivity, CNBC reported.

• Pichai told staff that Google's productivity and focus isn't where it needs to be, per CNBC.

• He made the comments in an all-hands meeting.

Productivity and focus need to improve at Google, its CEO, Sundar Pichai, told employees in an all-hands meeting.

CNBC reported the news.

Employees at the meeting expressed concern about the wave of layoffs that have been sweeping the tech industry in recent months, employees in the meeting told CNBC.

Representatives for Google did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Google's CEO reportedly told employees at the meeting on Wednesday: "There are real concerns that our productivity as a whole is not where it needs to be for the headcount we have."

"I wanted to give some additional context following our earnings results, and ask for your help as well," Pichai reportedly said during the all-hands.

"It's clear we are facing a challenging macro environment with more uncertainty ahead," he added.

Google's HR chief Fiona Cicconi, also addressed concerns over layoffs, saying the company was "not currently looking to reduce Google's overall workforce."

In May, Insider's Hugh Langley reported that the company was slowing hiring across some of its divisions for the third quarter of 2022.

Google is launching a new program called "Simplicity Sprint"  in an effort to combat the concern over productivity and employee focus, according to related internal documentation seen by CNBC.

The initiative asks Google's workforce of more than 170,0000 employees to share ideas through an internal survey on where to improve efficiency, per CNBC