Microsoft Offers Voluntary Exit Packages To 60,000 Employees

Microsoft is offering voluntary exit packages to around 60,000 employees as the technology giant adjusts its workforce amid heavy investments in artificial intelligence (AI).

The programme covers selected teams in the United States, India, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Eligible employees at vice-president level and below can consider the offer, while certain groups, including some data centre, sales and marketing teams, remain excluded.

Microsoft Chief People Officer Amy Coleman announced the Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) in a memo to employees. She said the initiative would give eligible staff greater flexibility and financial support as they consider opportunities outside the company.

The programme covers more than a quarter of Microsoft’s global workforce of approximately 223,000 employees, based on its June headcount.

The company has not disclosed how many employees it expects to accept the offer.

Eligible employees will receive individual details about their packages. They must decide by early December, with departures scheduled for the end of the year, according to reports.

The offer follows Microsoft’s voluntary retirement programme earlier this year. That initiative gave selected US employees an option to leave the company, and around 30 per cent of eligible staff reportedly accepted it.

The latest move comes as Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI infrastructure, computing capacity and related technologies.

The company is seeking to manage costs while adapting its workforce to changing business requirements.

The development comes amid broader changes across the technology sector, where companies are reassessing staffing needs as they expand their AI capabilities.

Microsoft has not announced a target for the number of employees who may leave under the voluntary exit programme.

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