Google offers exit package to select GBO staff who are 'ready to move on'

Google's chief business officer, Philipp Schindler, emailed some teams saying employees who don't feel "all in" on the company's mission can opt to leave voluntarily with a severance package

Global tech giant Google is once again offering voluntary buyouts to its employees in select teams within its global business organisation (GBO) in the United States (US), according to a Business Insider report.

 

A voluntary buyout, or voluntary exit programme (VEP), is a financial incentive offered to employees to resign willingly. It is typically implemented as a cost-cutting or restructuring strategy.

 

The report added that Google's chief business officer, Philipp Schindler, sent an email to staff of some teams on Tuesday stating that they can voluntarily leave the company with a severance package if they don't feel "all in" on the company's mission.

 

 

"We're starting the year in a strong position thanks to everything you accomplished in 2025. But the game is dynamic, the pace is electric, and the stakes are high," Schindler said in the email, as quoted by Business Insider.

 

He added that every GBO employee must be fully committed to the mission and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) to drive even greater impact. For those employees who are "not enjoying the pace" or are ready to move on from Google, Schindler said VEP is available for certain roles within the company’s GBO in the US.

 

Who is not eligible for VEP?

Furthermore, Schindler clarified that, since GBO functions are essential to the company's long-term strategy, certain roles will not be eligible for the VEP to avoid disruption. These include the company’s sizable customer sales teams in the US and other customer-facing roles.

 

This is not the first time that the California-based tech major has rolled out voluntary buyout offers for its employees. Last year, in June, the company initiated a round of voluntary buyout offers across multiple US-based departments, including the knowledge and information (K&I) unit, central engineering, marketing, communications, and research teams. A few months later, it also offered buyouts to YouTube employees as part of a reorganisation.