By Sumayya
SAN FRANCISCO – Microsoft is offering voluntary buyout packages to about 60,000 employees, the company said on Monday. This is roughly a quarter of its total workers, and the technology giant is doing this to cut its spending while spending heavily on artificial intelligence (AI).
Workers on specific selected teams in the United States, Canada, India, and Britain who are at the vice-president level and below will be allowed to apply, a Microsoft spokesperson said. However, some groups of workers, including some who work on data centers, sales, and marketing, cannot participate.
“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 workers in a company message.
This is the second voluntary buyout offer that Microsoft has given to its workers this year.
In April, the company reportedly offered around seven per cent of its U.S. workforce the choice to retire early.
Around 30 per cent of the people who were allowed to take that voluntary retirement plan chose to take it, according to CNBC.
Microsoft had 223,000 workers worldwide at the end of June, which is down from 228,000 workers at the end of 2025, according to official government business filings.
Around 27 per cent of Microsoft’s total workforce is allowed to take this new buyout offer.
The company is expected to share its official quarterly financial earnings reports later this week.
