Revenue is generally highest in Q4 due to Christmas spending.[1] So comparing 2022 Q4 to 2022 Q3 isn't really fair. If you compare it to 2021 Q4, it's much worse. Operating income declined from $20.6B in 2021 Q4 to $13.6B in 2022 Q4.[2] Disclosure: I work at Google but don't have any insight into company finances.
Dude, it's still 13.91 Billion in income. Unless they are projecting losses I don't see where the need for layoffs is. It's smells like investor greed. I don't think they hired 12000 people in the last year, so justifying layoffs due to a loss of profit is plain and simple greed.
From the same report, Google had 156,500 employees on 2021-12-31 and 190,234 employees on 2022-12-31. That's a growth of 33,734. Amount hired would be even higher than that due to people who left during that period.
I see your point, and acknowledge my oversight, but I still stand by what I wrote. One downward trajectory point in profits should not prompt a mass layoff. People uproot their lives to come work somewhere. It's not just about money, but I guess nobody wants to admit that companies are made up of humans.