Microsoft rolls out voluntary exit offer to up to 60,000 staff
Microsoft announced a voluntary exit program for roughly 60,000 employees in the U.S., Canada, India and the U.K., offering severance packages similar to its earlier layoff terms.
Microsoft disclosed a new voluntary exit program that will be offered to eligible employees in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. The memo, sent by Chief People Officer Amy Coleman, said the offer targets staff at level 70 and below, covering senior leaders and other roles, but excludes certain sales, engineering and corporate groups.
Around 60,000 workers – more than a quarter of the company’s workforce – could receive the offer, according to a company spokesperson. The terms are expected to mirror Microsoft’s standard severance, which previously provided a minimum of 60 days of base pay and up to 39 weeks for higher-tenured staff. Employees at level 64 and below would receive one week of base pay per six months of service, while those at levels 65 to 67 would receive two weeks per six months.
"The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter," Coleman wrote.
Eligible staff will receive details by email and have until early December to decide, with departures slated for the end of the year. The company said no additional buyout programs are planned at this time. The initiative follows a prior Voluntary Retirement Program that saw about one-third of participants accept a buyout, helping Microsoft reduce the scale of later layoffs.