Microsoft offers to buy out a quarter of its workforce
Employees in the US, Canada, India, and the UK may receive offers to leave MS today.
Microsoft has announced it will provide voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees, constituting roughly a quarter of its global workforce. This initiative is being extended to employees across the United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom. CNBC reports that the company is offering this opportunity to employees who may have been contemplating career transitions outside Microsoft.
Microsoft has not explicitly stated the reason behind this decision, but it follows a series of cost management measures the company has undertaken over the past several years, with a focus on AI infrastructure and data-center expansion. The voluntary exit offer (VEO) is available to qualifying staff in United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Eligibility for the program is limited to employees at level 70 or below within the company's internal hierarchy. According to Amy Coleman, Microsoft's Chief People Officer, the selection of eligible organizations was determined based on each business's individual priorities, customer commitments, and workforce requirements. This is the second voluntary workforce reduction in 2026 for Microsoft.
Earlier in April, the company offered a voluntary retirement package to 8,750 US employees. In July, Xbox laid off 3,200 employees, accounting for approximately 20 percent of its entire gaming division. As CNBC has reported, about 30 percent of eligible employees accepted the retirement offer, alleviating the impact of the planned layoffs.
The expanded voluntary exit offer represents a more extensive effort compared to the previous voluntary retirement package.
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