Microsoft reportedly offers buyouts to about 60,000 staff
The offer, reportedly about a quarter of its workforce, comes months after 4,800 layoffs that mainly hit Xbox and commercial sales.
Microsoft is reportedly offering voluntary exit packages to about 60,000 staff, roughly a quarter of its workforce, across the US, UK, Canada and India. Eligibility reportedly covers vice-president level and below on select teams, with data centre, sales and marketing staff excluded, and the packages mirror standard severance. Chief People Officer Amy Coleman described the offer in an internal memo as new to the company and said it would be assessed afterward. The offer follows an earlier retirement-age buyout in which over 30% of roughly 8,750 eligible workers accepted, and comes months after 4,800 layoffs that mainly hit Xbox and commercial sales. Microsoft has said the offer is not based on age, tenure or performance and that a further offer could follow if business needs require it.
Why it matters
For the people eligible, the offer is a choice to leave with standard severance terms, and Microsoft says it is not tied to age, length of service or performance. Coming after an earlier retirement-age buyout that more than 30% of eligible staff accepted, and months after layoffs at Xbox and commercial sales, it suggests the company is reshaping its workforce in stages rather than in one round. Microsoft has also said a further offer could follow if business and workforce needs require it, so the current figure may not be the final one. How the approach works out will be assessed afterward, according to the chief people officer's internal memo.
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