"Microsoft" offers voluntary departure to 60,000 employees

In an effort to reduce costs while investing in artificial intelligence development, the US technology company "Microsoft" has offered approximately 60,000 employees, or about a quarter of the total workforce, the option to voluntarily leave their jobs, according to foreign media reports cited by the LETA agency.

A "Microsoft" representative indicated that the offer will apply to employees of certain teams in the US, Canada, India, and the UK who hold vice president-level and lower positions, while several other employee groups, including some data center, sales, and marketing employees, are excluded from the offer.

In an internal announcement to employees, "Microsoft" explained that the voluntary departure offer is part of the company's approach to change, as "Microsoft" aims to create "greater flexibility and, if possible, more ways for employees to shape their next life stage."

This is the second voluntary departure offer "Microsoft" has made to its employees this year. According to available information, in April the company offered about 7% of its US employees the opportunity for early retirement. According to CNBC data, approximately 30% of those eligible took advantage of the voluntary retirement plan.

According to available data, at the end of June "Microsoft" employed 223,000 people worldwide, which is less than at the end of 2025, when the company employed 228,000 people.

Approximately 27% of "Microsoft" employees are eligible for the new offer.