[takenpilot]

I'm an ex-google employee laid off as part of the 12000.

To answer your question, basically not at all. Half a year before the layoffs, they explicitly consolidated power towards your direct managers around the assignment of work and especially quarterly and yearly assessment.

Not just toward managers in general -- before that point there was a consolidation of power towards managers in general over the years, but luckily a group of manager's peers would balance out or question any extreme examples, which moderated a lot of what can sometimes go wrong.

But right before the layoffs the system was changed to have an explicit emphasis on your direct manager.

[grglburgp]

Not a shock; since this article they put McKinsey alum in charge.

[solardev]

Thank you for sharing, and sorry about your layoff! I hope you land on your feet.