Google has eliminated 35% of managers overseeing small teams in past year

Fewer managers with fewer direct reports seems impossible. If you eliminate managers, then the remaining ones will naturally absorb the direct reports. So one of these cannot be true. Unless people don't report to anyone.

The stat refers only to managers with less than 3 reports.

> The 35% reduction refers to the number of managers who oversee fewer than three people, according to a person familiar with the matter.