Microsoft launches large-scale voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees

Microsoft announced Monday that about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its global workforce, will be offered voluntary buyouts under a program called Voluntary Exit Offer, Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said in a memo. Eligibility is limited to employees ranked level 70 or below on participating teams in the US, Canada, India and the UK, with sales, some engineering teams and certain corporate departments excluded. Employees have until early December to decide and would leave at the end of the year. It is Microsoft’s second voluntary exit offer this year, after a spring retirement plan for about 8,750 US employees drew more than 30% participation and a $900 million charge, as Microsoft cuts costs while spending heavily on AI.