Google has initiated workforce reductions within its Waze division as part of its ongoing efforts to integrate the mapping service into its own map products. In a communication on Tuesday, Chris Phillips, the head of Google’s maps division called Geo, informed employees about the strategic shift in Waze’s ads monetization.
As part of its strategy, the company intends to relocate the responsibility for overseeing Waze’s ad management to the Global Business Organization (GBO) and integrate it with Google Maps. As a result, positions related to the monetization of Waze Ads in sales, marketing, operations, and analytics will undergo changes.
Everything About the Google Layoffs
To create a better and more streamlined long-term experience for Waze advertisers, Google has started transitioning Waze’s existing advertising system to Google Ads technology. As part of this update, the company has reduced the number of positions focused on Waze Ads monetization. Google emphasized this move in a statement to Reuters.
While specific details regarding the exact number of job cuts were not disclosed in the email, CNBC reported that the Waze unit currently employs over 500 individuals. Back in 2013, the company made an acquisition of Waze at an estimated cost of $1.3 billion. The company plans to inform advertisers and partners about these changes on Wednesday.
Earlier in January, Alphabet announced its plans to lay off 12,000 employees, equivalent to 6% of its workforce, due to a significant deceleration in revenue growth. In order to enhance efficiency, the company has also downsized and discontinued various projects Starting from December, Google has been in the process of integrating Waze with its Geo unit, which holds the responsibility for overseeing map-related operations. This reorganization led to the departure of former CEO Neha Parikh.
Waze, known for its crowdsourcing approach to provide users with the most efficient driving routes and real-time traffic information, boasts approximately 140 million active users. In the email, Chris Phillips acknowledged the challenging nature of these decisions and expressed gratitude and respect for the contributions made by the affected Waze employees to the success and culture of the company.
