Microsoft offers voluntary buyout to 60,000 employees
Microsoft is offering voluntary buyout packages to approximately 60,000 employees, a move that could cost up to $6 billion. The decision comes as the company prepares to disclose projected costs in its upcoming quarterly earnings report.
Microsoft has extended a voluntary buyout offer to roughly 60,000 employees, representing a quarter of its total workforce of 823,000. Eligible staff are those at level 70 or below on participating teams in the US, Canada, UK, and India, with a decision deadline set for the first week of December. The financial packages align with standard severance terms. This initiative follows a spring retirement offer taken by about 30% of roughly 8,750 eligible employees, a program that cost the company approximately $900 million. The current buyout could result in expenses as high as $6 billion. Microsoft is scheduled to report quarterly earnings on Wednesday, where it will disclose the projected costs associated with the restructuring. The move occurs against a backdrop where Microsoft Copilot has not gained the same popularity as competitors like Meta's Muse.