Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, the company said on Monday, roughly a quarter of its workforce, as the tech giant seeks to cut costs while pouring money into artificial intelligence
Staff on select teams in the United States, Canada, India and Britain at vice president level and below will be eligible, a Microsoft spokesperson said, while some groups of employees, including some working on data centers, sales and marketing, are excluded
“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,” Amy Coleman, an executive vice president and chief people officer, told employees in a memo
It’s the second voluntary buyout offer that Microsoft has offered employees this year
In April, the company reportedly offered around seven percent of its US workforce the option to retire early
Around 30 percent of those eligible took the voluntary retirement plan, according to CNBC
Microsoft had 223,000 employees globally at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025, according to regulatory filings
Around 27 percent of Microsoft’s workforce is eligible for the new buyout offer
The company is expected to report quarterly earnings later this week