Google has confirmed a significant reduction in its workforce, affecting hundreds of employees working across its hardware, voice assistance, and engineering teams. The decision, part of an ongoing effort to streamline and cut costs, was disclosed late Wednesday night.

The layoffs significantly impacted employees engaged in core engineering, the Google Assistant product, and various hardware projects. The divisions each experienced cuts amounting to “a few hundred” roles – a disclosure made by the tech giant to The Verge. The exact number, however, remains undisclosed.

This round of layoffs marks the beginning of Google’s year with sweeping retrenchments across its divisions. Those affected included employees working on some of the company’s most essential programs and projects. Further, this follows a trend where large tech companies eliminated tens of thousands of jobs last year.

In summary, as Google continues to manoeuvre through a dynamic tech landscape and tightens its operational expenses, it has taken the harsh step of laying off hundreds of employees across different teams. This asserts a sign of the economical and strategic pressures faced by even the largest tech companies.