It seems like the most likely explanation for this is that it's a "soft layoff"; rather than endure the PR and morale hit of a real layoff, let them quit. Plus,

It seems like the most likely explanation for this is that it's a "soft layoff"; rather than endure the PR and morale hit of a real layoff, let them quit. Plus, even if remote work is not a within-worker disadvantage versus office work, management may nonetheless estimate that people willing to come in to the office are more attached to their jobs. Or as it is said: the purpose of a system is what it does. If the primary effects are likely distributional via who remains a Google employee, then we can infer the goal of the decision.