Google staff evaluate Sundar Pichai to ‘Shrek’ villain after CEO’s $226M payday amid layoffs: report
Google staff are reportedly grumbling about CEO Sundar Pichai’s large wage — amid a wave of 12,000 layoffs and cuts to workplace perks — with some evaluating the tech tycoon to the imperious villain in “Shrek.”
Pichai’s $226 million windfall final 12 months prompted the wave of criticism for the reason that disclosure on the search big’s inner messaging system, in accordance to CNBC, which considered “greater than a dozen memes” concerning the subject – a few of which have acquired “a number of hundred likes.”
One well-liked meme portrays Pichai because the vertically-challenged Lord Farquaad — the ruthless ruler of Duloc who seeks to steal Fiona from the inexperienced ogre — and features a quote from the animated-movie character: “A few of chances are you’ll die, however that could be a sacrifice I’m keen to make.”
“Sundar accepting $226 million whereas shedding 12k Googlers, reducing perks, and destroying morale and tradition,” the meme’s caption reportedly stated, in keeping with CNBC.
One other submit took intention at Google CFO Ruth Porat, who despatched out an inner memo in March detailing a sweeping cost-cutting push on the firm – together with the elimination of some of its famous “micro-kitchens” and trimmed spending on company-provided gear similar to private laptops.
“Ruth’s price financial savings utilized to everybody… besides our hardworking VPS and CEO,” the meme reportedly stated.
Different criticism reportedly centered round Google’s announcement final week that its board had accredited $70 billion in share repurchases regardless of its strikes to slash finances prices.
Google declined to remark.
Final month, Google disclosed that Pichai, 50, earned $226 million in total compensation in 2022. His pay was greater than 800 instances greater than Google’s median worker, and a rise from his $6.3 million in 2021 earnings.
On the finish of 2022, Google gave Pichai a triannual inventory award valued at $210 million, with grants tied to the corporate’s efficiency in addition to time-based fairness, in keeping with an organization submitting. The corporate elevated the proportion of items which might be based mostly on efficiency to 60% of the payout, up from 43%.
The $210 million triannual inventory award was price about 23% lower than the bundle that Pichai acquired three years in the past.
In January, Google laid off about 12,000 staff, or roughly 6% of its total workforce, as a part of the companywide belt-tightening effort.
On the time, Pichai stated he took “full duty” for the cuts, which he framed as vital to make sure that Google might climate a worsening financial panorama and make investments in synthetic intelligence know-how.
The newest discord emerged as Google contends with the fallout from its job cuts. Staff in New York, California, London and different places have staged protests over the company’s handling of the layoffs.