Microsoft offers buyouts to ~60,000 employees, over a quarter of its workforce
FlolightC · x · 2026-10-27
Microsoft Chief People Officer Amy Coleman announced a Voluntary Exit Offer in a Monday memo, covering roughly 60,000 employees — more than a quarter of the company — in the US, Canada, India, and the UK, up to level 70 including senior leaders.
Key details:
- Only some teams participate; sales, certain engineering teams, and some corporate functions are excluded
- Employees have until early December to opt for a year-end exit
- Terms mirror standard severance: this year's US layoff package included a minimum of 60 days of base pay and up to 39 weeks of pay for most employees
Context: after heavy AI infrastructure spending and multiple rounds of headcount cuts this year, Microsoft is testing whether voluntary departures can slim the workforce without involuntary layoffs.
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