Microsoft is giving tens of thousands of employees a chance to leave the company with financial support, as the tech giant continues to reshape its workforce amid its growing investment in artificial intelligence.
According to reports from Bloomberg and Business Insider, approximately 60,000 employees could be eligible for voluntary buyouts. The offer reportedly covers employees at the vice president level and below across selected teams in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. Some roles, including positions in data centers, sales and marketing, are excluded.
Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, outlined the initiative in a message to staff on Monday. She described the program as a way for eligible employees who are already considering leaving to make that transition with company support. Those who accept are expected to receive benefits similar to a standard severance package, according to the reports. The program is voluntary, meaning eligible employees can choose whether to take the offer.
The move comes as Microsoft faces the challenge of balancing its workforce with changing business priorities and substantial spending on AI infrastructure and development. Voluntary departures offer the company a way to reduce headcount without requiring every affected employee to be laid off.
This isn’t Microsoft’s first buyout initiative this year. In April, the company offered voluntary buyouts to retirement-age employees in the United States. More than 30% of the approximately 8,750 eligible workers reportedly accepted.
The latest offer has a much broader potential reach, although the number of employees who will ultimately leave remains unclear. Its scale highlights how Microsoft is using voluntary exits as one tool to adjust its workforce while its business priorities continue to evolve.