After Google laid off 12,000 employees in January this year, the search engine giant intends to reduce additional costs by cutting down on MacBook purchases. A companywide memo states that Chromebooks will instead be issued to employees that require a portable machine for work purposes and do not belong in engineering roles.

Cost-cutting efforts also include the reduction of staplers; employees can no longer secure themselves a phone mobile, even if they are available internally

With Google pausing laptop and desktop computer replacement cycles, CNBC reports that the company shifting to Chromebooks instead of new MacBooks should be beneficial as it helps Google avoid any external security compromises. It should be noted that MacBooks are essential to programmers, which is why the engineering staff is in possession of them at all times.

Also, if mobile phones are available internally, employees can no longer expense them. However, there are still chances that workers are approved to use such devices. They will need approval from the director or someone higher up if they require an accessory that costs more than $1,000. In addition, staplers and tape are a number of office supplies that will no longer be provided to print stations.

Since staplers and tape are dispensable, reducing their purchases should actually help Google avoid unnecessary costs. If there is ever a need to use a stapler or tape, employees can borrow them from the receptionist. While reducing employee headcount is one way to reduce a company’s overheads drastically, Google is also aiming to cut down on perks such as food. The internal memo mentioned that some minor adjustments must be made regarding food, fitness, massage, and transportation.

These services will only be made available to Google employees who are showing up to work five days a week. Employees that were showing up to work three days a week caused the supply and demand of food items to go out of sync, so a re-adjustment was in order. For instance, the document said that too many muffins had been baked on a Monday, which obviously went to waste.

Google may force employees to resume their 5-day work schedules as they did before the pandemic, and when things start to slowly normalize, perhaps the company will start issuing MacBooks to employees again.

News Source: CNBC