Google once offered 300% hike to retain employee, AI firm CEO reveals

Tech companies employ various strategies to retain talent, including innovative perks and progressive workplace cultures but did you know that tech giant Google once offered a 300% salary increase to retain an employee?

According to Aravind Srinivas, the chief executive officer of Perplexity AI, Google went to great lengths to keep one of their employees, who was part of the "search team", from leaving, the Hindustan Times reported.

They did not even have any direct involvement with its AI division, he said while sharing the insight on the Big Technology Podcast.

Meanwhile, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that the company may have to make some tough choices, including job cuts, to create the necessary capacity for future investments.

In an internal memo to all Google employees, Sundar Pichai wrote, "We have ambitious goals and will be investing in our big priorities this year. The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices."

Google has reportedly laid off over 1,000 employees in various departments since January 10.

Pichai had announced plans to cut approximately 12,000 jobs — 6% of its global workforce — earlier.

"I have some difficult news to share. We've decided to reduce our workforce by approximately 12,000 roles. We've already sent a separate email to employees in the US who are affected. In other countries, this process will take longer due to local laws and practices," he said.