(MENAFN) Google slashed 35% of its managers overseeing small teams last year as part of an ongoing effort to boost organizational efficiency, a Google executive revealed, media reported Wednesday.

“Right now, we have 35% fewer managers, with fewer direct reports than at this time a year ago,” said Brian Welle, vice president of people analytics and performance, during a company meeting.

The announcement came amid questions from employees about job security, internal barriers, and company culture following several rounds of layoffs, buyouts, and restructurings.

Welle explained the initiative aims to streamline management and reduce bureaucracy. “When we look across our entire leadership population, that’s managers, directors and VPs, we want them to be a smaller percentage of our overall workforce over time,” he said.

The 35% reduction targeted managers responsible for fewer than three direct reports, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized the necessity of leaner operations: the company must “be more efficient as we scale up so we don't solve everything with headcount.”

In 2023, Google cut nearly 6% of its workforce and has continued layoffs across multiple divisions since. Alphabet’s finance chief, Anat Ashkenazi, who joined last year, indicated in October that further cost-cutting measures are forthcoming.

Since January, Google has slowed hiring, increased workloads for remaining staff, and offered buyouts to reduce headcount voluntarily.

At last week’s meeting, Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi said between 3% and 5% of employees in affected teams accepted buyouts.

The program has been “actually quite successful,” Cicconi noted, adding: “I think we can continue it.”

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