PIPs Are Even Worse Now; Comp Discouraging

Hi,

Back in 2024, I wrote @OP+1tugivWq where I shared information on PIP changes at Google (as opposed to Alphabet). I felt it was appropriate to write an update for 2026.

First, let me be clear: This past GRAD results season appears to have been a massacre. In 2026, you got your bonus if you were still employed on March 1, 2026. Anecdotally, it seems February 2026 saw a surge of Googlers abruptly leave the company.

This is a continued trend from earlier. At one point, Google used to be more tolerant of employees who plausibly just had a poor performance review period. It is becoming more and more obvious that such tolerance is a thing of the past.

Okay, so you manage to get an S rating. In early March, you learn what your merit increase, bonus and equity refresh are. Based on pay comparison results and personally speaking with colleagues, it seems that the changes described in @OP+1jts0j95y (and kudos to that OP!) have been implemented: T got fantastic raises, O got good raises, S far smaller raises. Depending on where your old salary is in relation to the 2026 salary band for your level, your raise likely didn't beat inflation, if you got a raise at all. Yes, Virginia, there are definitely reports of Googlers who received $0 in base salary increases.

One thing I am trying to wrap my head around is the actual new PIP process. For those who went through it, can you reply with what you were offered? Were you even offered a chance to take a PIP? Did you get 60 days of garden leave? Can anyone say that my belief that those PIPed in 2026 didn't get a bonus is wrong?

#Bonus #MeritIncrease #PIP #PerformanceReview #Salary

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@cm at best, your comment in @ab is simply disingenuous. at worst, it is outright trolling.

previously google made a choice of keeping someone who had a bad year because they have good institutional knowledge or otherwise performed well before, and now google is making the choice of cutting headcount by any means necessary.

@cf What I need are some facts here, from those who recently went through this process: Is Google offering garden leave or severance now for those presented with a PIP who do not go through with it? As of 2024, the answer was "yes, Google offers garden leave and severance" but what about in 2026?

@ak
"But real talk: If you think strong software engineers never have a bad six months or a year, you are absurdly naive."

I don't know anything about software engineering, I'm just pointing out that it's fair for a company to expect employees to meet performance standards (even a despicable company like Google).

Google is catching with Meta in percentage of PIP and force employees to go without severance package.

"Google used to be more tolerant of employees who plausibly just had a poor performance review period. It is becoming more and more obvious that such tolerance is a thing of the past."

As it should be since it's a business, not a social service.

No one said it isn't.

But real talk: If you think strong software engineers never have a bad six months or a year, you are absurdly naive.

"Google used to be more tolerant of employees who plausibly just had a poor performance review period. It is becoming more and more obvious that such tolerance is a thing of the past."

As it should be since it's a business, not a social service.

And I say that with absolute disdain for this quasi government company.

Thread regarding Alphabet Inc. (Google) layoffs

PIPs Are Even Worse Now; Comp Discouraging

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