Microsoft buyouts: Who qualifies in US, UK, Canada?

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees across various divisions including AI, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox and Windows, as per a Business Insider report. The exclusion includes marketing, commercial business and security. This move aims to reduce costs and restructure the workforce.

The offer is available to employees in the US, Canada, India, and the UK at the level 70, which encompasses senior leaders and below. Employees at the vice president level or below on select teams are eligible for the US-based programme. The benefits provided align with a standard severance package.

Microsoft expects fewer employees to accept the new offer as compared to the earlier retirement-age offer, which saw more than 30% acceptance rate. The deadline for accepting the buyout is early December, after which the employees will leave the company by the end of the year. As of June, Microsoft had around 223,000 employees, and the workforce remained relatively stable since 2022. Earlier, Microsoft offered a buyout to about 8,750 employees based on retirement-age criteria.

Eligible employees can expect to receive an email with details of the Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) within hours. Microsoft hopes the new voluntary exit option will provide flexibility for employees to transition out of the company. The company plans to learn from this offer and continue adapting its workforce to changing needs.