A 31-year-old senior software engineer at Google died after plummeting from the 14th floor of the company’s New York City office building on Thursday evening. The police in New York responded to a 911 call at around 11:30 p.m., reporting an unconscious person lying on the ground. The name of the engineer hasn’t been released yet as notification to family members is still pending. While no official statement has been released by Google yet, it is noteworthy that this isn’t the first instance of such an incident occurring to an employee of Google.
According to police reports, this follows the death of another Google employee, 33-year-old Jacob Pratt, who committed suicide by hanging himself in his apartment earlier this year. While the reasons behind the two deaths are still unclear, the US Bureau of Statistics reported 307 workplace-related deaths by suicide in 2019, which incidentally is the highest number on record. It isn’t known whether the engineer’s death is a workplace-related suicide. However, the recent layoff of over 6% of the workforce at Google’s parent company Alphabet has caused a great deal of anxiety among employees.
The deceased man was discovered outside the 15-storey Art Deco building in the Chelsea neighbourhood. Investigators found handprints on the 14th-floor ledge of the structure which they removed for safety reasons, but no note was found to explain the cause of the tragedy. The victim was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a related incident, the father of another man who committed suicide by jumping off Hownsgill Viaduct in County Durham criticised the authorities for not installing safety features earlier. Andrew Roberts left two envelopes for his colleagues and a note at his home, which listed the code of a Consett pub near the viaduct. Roberts suffered from severe depression and anxiety, which were reportedly made worse by being moved to an open-plan office. The coroner Andrew Tweddle recorded a verdict of suicide. Roberts’ father, David, asked why Mr Tweddle did not use his powers under the coroners’ regulations to bring the complaints to the attention of the authorities.
Another suicide by a city maintenance worker in Costa Mesa also raised concerns about the treatment of employees who receive layoff notices. Huy Pham was a 29-year-old maintenance worker and one of over 200 employees who were adversely affected by a budget deficit leading to cutbacks in city services. He died after jumping from the top of City Hall after learning he would be laid off. The insensitivity of Costa Mesa Mayor Gary Monahan, who appeared in a kilt outside his bar just an hour and a half after Pham’s suicide, further upset city workers. Crisis counselors were available to employees the next day.
Google Workspace, a suite of productivity apps for individuals, businesses, students, and nonprofits, offers integrated video-conferencing, calendar, content management, and real-time editing capabilities. The suite provides integrated experiences and helps productivity, while the free version offers access to key features like Gmail, Drive, and Docs. Up to 250 participants can join a meeting via the suite. Google Workspace has a virtual workspace accessible from any device, with advanced admin functionality, customizable privacy settings, and a searchable help screen with tutorials and quick start guides. The suite is best for small to mid-size businesses with plans to add 300 people, while large companies benefit from advanced administrative controls with the Enterprise package.
The incidents highlight the need for employers to support employees going through difficult periods in their lives, especially if they have to grapple with questions of job insecurity amid anxieties about mental health and well-being. The ongoing work from home regime in response to the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to the stress for people who live alone or lack social connections, exasperating the issue of mental health and well-being for these workers.
In conclusion, the sad demise of Google employees and other workers highlights the importance of addressing mental health risks and increasing support for those affected. Employers must acknowledge the challenges facing employees in these difficult times and provide them with adequate support and resources. Mental health services should be precisely available to all employees to cope with the increasing anxieties arising from job uncertainty and social isolation. Provided companies take decisive action to support their employees, we still have an opportunity to curb the rising number of suicides in the workplace and save precious lives while ensuring the continued progress and well-being of our workforce.
