Microsoft plans to offer voluntary buyouts to approximately 60,000 employees in selected departments, or about one-quarter of its global workforce, according to CNBC. The Voluntary Exit Offer comes as Microsoft continues controlling costs while investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure and data centers. The company described the program as an opportunity for employees who may already be considering a career outside Microsoft.
Offer covers employees in four countries
Microsoft is extending the Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) to eligible employees in the United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Employees at level 70 and below are eligible. Microsoft’s internal employee levels are based on salary and career databases; according to Levels.fyi, levels 65 through 67 correspond to major positions, while levels 68 through 70 correspond to partner and outstanding levels.
Eligible organizations were selected “based on each business’s priorities, customer commitments and employee needs,” chief human resources officer Amy Coleman said. Microsoft did not provide a specific reason for the buyout package.
Second voluntary-layoff initiative of 2026
The initiative is Microsoft’s second voluntary-layoff program of 2026. In April, the company offered its first voluntary severance package to 8,750 employees in the United States. In July, Microsoft’s Xbox division laid off 3,200 employees, representing about 20 percent of its gaming division.
According to CNBC, Coleman said that about 30 percent of eligible employees accepted the earlier offer, reducing the impact of the planned layoffs. The April program targeted long-tenured employees who might have been nearing the end of their careers, while the new VEO is open to a potentially larger group.
Source: arstechnica.com
