Google’s hiring rate is slowing

BERLIN, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 26: A visitor passes the Google logo on September 26, 2012 at the official opening party of the Google offices in Berlin, Germany. Although the American company holds 95% of the German search engine market share and already has offices in Hamburg and Munich, its new offices on the prestigious Unter den Linden avenue are its first in the German capital. The Internet giant has been met with opposition in the country recently by the former president's wife, who has sued it based on search results for her name that she considers derogative. The European Commission has planned new data privacy regulations in a country where many residents opted in to have their homes pixeled out when the company introduced its Street View technology. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images)

Photograph by Adam Berry — Getty Images

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google’s revenue growth is slowing, and the tech giant is starting to pump the brakes on its years-long hiring bonanza. The previous hiring strategy, which assumed every Google team would hire new members each year, is being phased out for a more moderate one that requires teams to justify the need for new hires.

The first quarter of 2015 brought 1,819 new employees to Google–a record low since the final quarter of 2013. According to the WSJ, Google added an average of 2,435 employees every quarter of 2014.

Google (GOOG) hasn’t stopped deserving its reputation for being a luxurious place to work. Its perks remain. But employees also complain of increased scrutiny on their expenses as the search engine grows up and starts to look for more efficient ways to run the sprawling company.

In 2014, Google revenue grew 19%– down from 21%, 22% and 29% in 2013, 2012, and 2011.