Google’s productivity push could backfire

Google’s productivity push could backfire
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. (Image: Getty)
Peter Griffin
Google narrowly missed earnings targets last week and its chief executive Sundar Pichai now wants his 174,000 employees to up their productivity.In an all-hands meeting following parent company Alphabet’s second-quarter results briefing, which revealed that profit dropped 14% to US$16 billion (NZ$25.7b) based on the previous year, Pichai laid down the law.“There are real concerns that our productivity as a whole is not where it needs to be for the headcount we have,” he apparently told Google employees.He asked them to help &l...

More Opinion

KiwiSaver grow-slow
Opinion

David Chaplin: KiwiSaver grow-slow

The 30-odd KiwiSaver providers must find growth, if they want it, by raiding rivals.

David Chaplin 19 Aug 2025
NZ's sluggish economy and housing challenges
Opinion

Cameron Bagrie: NZ's sluggish economy and housing challenges

House prices are still 40% higher than they were in 2017.

Cameron Bagrie 18 Aug 2025
‘She’ll be right, mate’: SkyCity Adelaide
Opinion

Dileepa Fonseka: ‘She’ll be right, mate’: SkyCity Adelaide

SkyCity Adelaide’s board didn’t meet for nearly 20 years.

Dileepa Fonseka 18 Aug 2025