Microsoft offers voluntary exit packages to 60,000 staff

Dawn · 10/26/2026, 6:24:02 PM

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees, the company said on Monday, roughly a quarter of its workforce, as the tech giant seeks to cut costs while pouring money into artificial intelligence. Staff on select teams in the United States, Canada, India and Britain at vice president level and below will be eligible, a Microsoft spokesperson said, while some groups of employees, including some working on data centres, sales and marketing, are excluded. “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 employees in a memo. It’s the second voluntary buyout offer that Microsoft has offered employees this year. In April, the company reportedly offered around seven per cent of its US workforce the option to retire early. Around 30pc of those eligible took the voluntary retirement plan, according to CNBC . Microsoft had 223,000 employees globally at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025, according to regulatory filings. Around 27pc of Microsoft’s workforce is eligible for the new buyout offer. The company is expected to report quarterly earnings later this week. Tech layoffs As major tech giants continue to spend heavily on AI-related investments, concerns persist about the impact of the technology on jobs. Even industry insiders, such as Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei, have warned of mass job losses. Netflix will reportedly cut around 6pc of its workforce, or 1,000 jobs, US media reported last week. Auction site eBay laid off 1,000 employees earlier this month, adding to a previous round earlier this year which impacted 800 jobs. In May, Meta laid off around 10pc of its global workforce, impacting around 8,000 employees. In April, Meta also said it would cancel plans to hire an additional 6,000 peo