GoKawiilMicrosoft offers voluntary buyouts to up to 60,000 workers
Microsoft is giving as many as 60,000 employees across the US, UK, Canada, and India the option to take a voluntary exit package that includes financial support and career planning help, chief people officer Amy Coleman said in a staff memo. Eligible groups include AI experiences, Copilot, CoreAI, Windows and Devices, Xbox, finance, and HR, while marketing, commercial sales, security, and some other teams are excluded or only partially included.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The offer follows a 4,800-person layoff earlier this year and a narrower retirement program for long-tenured staff, suggesting Microsoft is testing multiple ways to reduce headcount without repeated forced cuts. Coleman's description of the program as experimental ('new for us... we'll learn from it') indicates Microsoft may expand or adjust this approach depending on uptake, which could signal more workforce changes ahead as it reallocates resources toward AI priorities.
- Up to 60,000 Microsoft employees in four countries are eligible for voluntary buyouts with financial and career support.
- The program excludes commercial sales, marketing, security, and discovery/quantum teams, while AI-focused units are largely included.
- This follows a 4,800-employee layoff and a separate retirement offer for senior long-tenured staff earlier in the year.
Source: theverge.com — Emma Roth, 2026-10-26
Published there as: “Microsoft offers buyouts to 60,000 employees”
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