The current layoffs were orchestrated by hedge funds
This November '22 letter [1] from TCI has even more details.Their argument sounds quite compelling, to be honest:  As detailed in Alphabet's Schedule 14A filing, median compensation totaled $295,884 in 2021. An analysis by S&P Global illustrates that median compensation at Alphabet was 67% higher than at Microsoft and 153% higher than the 20 largest listed technology companies in the US. There is no justification for this enormous disparity.

  We acknowledge that Alphabet employs some of the most talented and brightest computer scientists and engineers, but these represent only a fraction of the employee base. Many employees are performing general sales, marketing and administrative jobs, who should be compensated in-line with other technology companies. 

[1] https://www.tcifund.com/files/corporateengageement/alphabet/...