Microsoft has offered around 60,000 employees the chance to leave voluntarily with financial support. That represents about 27% of its global workforce of 223,000. The programme covers selected staff in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and India, including some senior leaders.
Not every team is taking part, and some employees working in data centres, sales and marketing are excluded. Eligible workers must decide by early December. Those who accept will leave on 31 December.
Departure payments depend on how long employees have worked at Microsoft, while local employment laws affect the terms. In the United States, the package includes at least eight weeks of pay, continued health support and help with finding another job. Microsoft expects fewer than 5% of eligible employees to accept and says it does not intend to reduce its workforce significantly.
The offer comes as Microsoft increases spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure, including equipment and the data centres that house computers. Some economists see it as part of a shift towards spending more on equipment and relying on fewer workers. However, Microsoft says AI is not driving its voluntary departure programmes. The company presents the latest offer as a choice for employees who are already considering a future elsewhere.
