Google has made a significant organizational shift by eliminating over one-third of its managers who oversee small teams of fewer than three people. This move represents the tech giant's latest effort to streamline operations and reduce what executives call bureaucracy in favor of dedicated roles that separate technical leadership from people management.
Google Management Structure Changes:
- 35% reduction in managers overseeing fewer than 3 people
- Most affected managers transitioned to Individual Contributor (IC) roles
- Technical Lead Manager (TLM) role being phased out company-wide
- Separation of technical leadership from people management responsibilities
The End of the Technical Lead Manager Role
The eliminated positions were primarily Technical Lead Managers (TLMs) - a hybrid role unique to Google where employees were expected to both write code and manage junior engineers. These managers typically oversaw 1-2 direct reports while maintaining their technical contributions to projects. According to the company, many of these former managers have transitioned back to individual contributor roles, allowing them to focus entirely on engineering work.
The TLM role had been a cornerstone of Google's engineering culture for over a decade, designed to ensure that technical teams were led by people who understood the code and could make informed architectural decisions. However, the role became increasingly problematic as it essentially required employees to excel at two completely different jobs simultaneously.
Technical Lead Manager (TLM): A hybrid role combining technical leadership responsibilities with people management duties
Why the Change Makes Sense
The elimination of small team managers addresses several efficiency issues that had plagued Google's organizational structure. Managing just 1-2 people often meant these managers spent disproportionate time on administrative tasks while struggling to maintain their technical edge. The community discussion reveals that many TLMs felt overwhelmed, describing the role as requiring 80% coding and 80% management - an impossible standard that left many feeling stretched thin.
The move also tackles a fundamental problem with hybrid roles: they create competing priorities that prevent excellence in either area. Software engineering requires deep focus and uninterrupted time for complex problem-solving, while management demands constant availability for team members and stakeholders. Trying to balance both often resulted in neither being done well.
Impact on Team Structure and Career Paths
This restructuring doesn't mean Google is eliminating technical leadership entirely. Instead, the company is moving toward a clearer separation where dedicated engineering managers handle people management, performance reviews, and administrative duties, while senior individual contributors take on technical leadership roles without formal management responsibilities.
For many engineers, this change removes a problematic career bottleneck. Previously, some employees felt pressured to become TLMs as a path to advancement, even when they preferred purely technical work. The new structure allows engineers to advance through senior technical roles without taking on management duties they may not want or be suited for.
The reorganization also addresses team size inefficiencies. Teams with only 1-2 members often lacked the critical mass needed for effective collaboration and knowledge sharing. By consolidating these small teams under dedicated managers with larger spans of control, Google aims to create more sustainable team structures.
Google Engineering Levels and Compensation:
- L8 Principal Software Engineer: ~$1.3M USD/year
- L7 Senior Staff Software Engineer: ~$664K USD/year
- L6 Staff Software Engineer: ~$557K USD/year
- L5 Senior Software Engineer: ~$410K USD/year
- L4 Software Engineer II: ~$290K USD/year
- L3 Software Engineer: Entry level for new graduates
Broader Implications for Tech Industry
Google's move reflects a broader trend in the technology industry toward organizational efficiency and role clarity. The company's decision to eliminate hybrid management roles may influence other tech companies that have adopted similar structures. The change suggests that even successful organizational innovations need periodic reevaluation as companies mature and scale.
The timing of this restructuring, coming after several rounds of layoffs and cost-cutting measures, indicates Google's continued focus on operational efficiency. By reducing management layers and clarifying role responsibilities, the company aims to accelerate decision-making and reduce the bureaucratic overhead that can slow down large organizations.
This organizational shift represents Google's recognition that what worked during its rapid growth phase may not be optimal for its current stage as a mature technology conglomerate. The elimination of small team managers marks another step in the company's evolution from startup culture to corporate efficiency.
Reference: Google has eliminated 35% of managers overseeing small teams in past year, exec says