Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google’s parent company Alphabet, recently received a massive pay package worth $226 million. While this news may be cause for celebration for Pichai and Alphabet’s shareholders, it has left many employees feeling bitter and betrayed.
The reason for this is simple: in the midst of a global pandemic that has left millions of people unemployed and struggling to make ends meet, Alphabet has laid off over 12,000 staff. This move has been widely criticized, with many pointing out the irony of Pichai taking home such a massive pay check while so many of his employees are struggling to make ends meet.
To be clear, Pichai’s pay package is not entirely made up of cash. It includes a substantial amount of stock options, which are tied to Alphabet’s performance over time. However, the optics of such a large pay package at a time when so many people are struggling cannot be ignored.
Alphabet has defended its decision to lay off staff, stating that it has been necessary to restructure the company in order to stay competitive. However, many employees remain skeptical, particularly given the company’s history of treating its staff poorly. Alphabet has faced numerous allegations of mistreatment and discrimination in recent years, and many employees feel that the company’s leadership is more concerned with profits than with the well-being of its workers.
In the end, the irony of Pichai’s massive pay check is not lost on anyone. While he may be lauded as a visionary leader and a brilliant businessman, his decision to take home such a large sum of money while laying off thousands of staff speaks volumes about the priorities of Alphabet’s leadership. Until the company takes steps to address the concerns of its employees and prioritize their well-being, it is unlikely that the bitterness and sense of betrayal felt by so many will dissipate.
