Microsoft launches voluntary buyout program for up to 60,000 staff
Microsoft announced a time-limited voluntary exit offer for roughly 60,000 employees in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, targeting staff at level 70 and below.
Microsoft said it is extending a voluntary buyout program to about 60,000 employees across the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. The offer, described as a "Voluntary Exit Offer," is aimed at staff on selected teams who are at level 70 or lower, which may include some senior personnel.
Chief People Officer Amy Coleman wrote in an internal memo that the program provides "financial support and career planning resources" to eligible workers who choose to leave. Employees will receive an email with a link to their individual offers within hours of the announcement.
The initiative follows a July announcement that Microsoft would cut roughly 4,800 jobs, about 2.1% of its global workforce, primarily in its commercial and Xbox divisions, as part of a broader cost-reduction effort amid the rise of artificial-intelligence technologies. Earlier this year the company also offered an early-retirement option, which more than 30% of eligible staff accepted, and said it would continue to explore similar measures.
"This is a time-limited, voluntary program that gives those who are eligible the opportunity to leave Microsoft with financial support and career planning resources," the memo said.