In late October, Microsoft opened a voluntary exit offer to roughly 60,000 employees across the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, a figure amounting to more than a quarter of its workforce. The offer comes only months after the company cut 4,800 jobs, mostly in its Xbox and commercial sales divisions, and it reflects a corporate world still searching for a humane way to reshape itself. For those eligible, it asks a quiet but weighty question: whether to step away now, with financial support, or to remain in a company whose future shape is still being drawn.
Microsoft Offers Voluntary Exit to About 60,000 Employees, Excluding Sales and Some Engineering
Around 60,000 eligible employees face a choice on leaving Microsoft, following the earlier cut of 4,800 jobs, mainly in Xbox and commercial sales.
More than a quarter of Microsoft's workforce is eligible to walk away
Mark
Sixty thousand people is a huge number. Does that mean 60,000 will leave?
Mimi
No. It's the number eligible, a bit over a quarter of the workforce. Each person decides whether to take it, and they have until early December.
Luke
Right, and the source gives no figure for how many are expected to accept. Anything about the scale of departures would be a guess.
Mark
Who's left out of the offer?
Mimi
Sales organizations, certain engineering teams, and some corporate functions. Everyone else at level 70 and below in the US, Canada, India, and the UK is included, senior leaders too.
Luke
Worth noting the memo's exclusions are described only in general terms. Which engineering teams, and why, isn't specified.
Mark
How does this connect to the earlier layoffs?
Mimi
Months ago Microsoft cut 4,800 jobs, mostly Xbox and commercial sales. Before that came a retirement buyout for around 9,000 people.
Luke
And the reporting says Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is planning more layoffs. That's reported, not confirmed by the company here, and a spokesperson said there's no plan for another buyout.
Mark
What does the package look like?
Mimi
Described as similar to standard severance. The earlier layoffs gave most US staff at least 60 days of base pay, up to 39 weeks by tenure.
Luke
Similar, not identical. We don't know the exact terms of this offer.
Le Pouls
- Roughly 60,000 employees now face a decision to leave Microsoft, following an earlier cut of 4,800 jobs.
- The offer is limited to staff at level 70 and below, leaving sales, certain engineering teams, and some corporate functions out.
- Terms are said to resemble standard severance, with at least 60 days of base pay for most US staff and up to 39 weeks based on tenure.
- Eligible workers have until early December to accept, and those who do must depart by year-end.
- Reports that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is planning further layoffs keep uncertainty hanging over the decision.
In late October, Microsoft opened a voluntary exit offer to roughly 60,000 employees across the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, a figure amounting to more than a quarter of its workforce. The offer comes only months after the company cut 4,800 jobs, mostly in its Xbox and commercial sales divisions, and it reflects a corporate world still searching for a humane way to reshape itself. For those eligible, it asks a quiet but weighty question: whether to step away now, with financial support, or to remain in a company whose future shape is still being drawn.
On Monday, Microsoft's Chief People Officer, Amy Coleman, sent a memo inviting roughly 60,000 employees to consider a voluntary exit. That is more than a quarter of the company's workforce, and it reaches across the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom, for staff at level 70 and below, senior leaders included.
Not everyone is invited. Sales organizations, certain engineering teams, and some corporate functions were left out. The terms are described as similar to the company's standard severance: when 4,800 employees were laid off earlier this year, most US workers received at least 60 days of base pay, and packages could run as long as 39 weeks depending on tenure. The source does not confirm the new offer matches those numbers exactly.
The clock is tight. Those who accept have until early December, and they would leave by the end of the year. The offer follows the earlier cuts, which fell mainly on Xbox and commercial sales, and comes as Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is reportedly planning more layoffs. It also comes after a Voluntary Retirement Program that offered buyouts to about 9,000 people qualifying by age and tenure.
Coleman framed the offer as part of an evolving approach to change, one that creates flexibility and more ways for employees to shape their next chapter. A Microsoft spokesperson later told Business Insider that the company has no plans for another buyout at this time. For those eligible, the question remains personal, and the answer will depend on what the coming months bring.
On Monday, Microsoft's Chief People Officer, Amy Coleman, sent a memo to staff announcing a voluntary exit offer open to roughly 60,000 employees. That is more than a quarter of the company's workforce.
The offer is limited by geography and rank. It applies to employees in the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom who are at level 70 and below, a group that includes senior leaders as well as other staff. Not every team is included. Sales organizations, certain engineering teams, and some corporate functions have been excluded.
The terms are described as similar to Microsoft's standard severance package. When the company laid off 4,800 employees earlier this year, most US workers received at least 60 days of base pay, during which they stayed on the payroll. Severance could extend to a maximum of 39 weeks, depending on seniority and tenure. The source does not say whether the new offer matches those figures exactly, only that it resembles them.
The timeline is short. Eligible employees have until early December to decide, and those who accept would leave by the end of the year.
The offer arrives only months after those 4,800 job cuts, which fell mainly on the Xbox and commercial sales teams. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is now reported to be planning further rounds of layoffs. It also follows an earlier Voluntary Retirement Program, which offered a retirement buyout to about 9,000 employees who qualified by age and tenure.
In her memo, Coleman framed the offer as part of a changing approach. She wrote that it reflects "an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter." She described it as a time-limited program that gives eligible employees a chance to leave with financial support and career planning resources.
A Microsoft spokesperson told Business Insider that the company has no plans for another buyout at this time.
For the tens of thousands of people eligible, the choice comes with a deadline of early December. What to watch is how many accept, and whether the further Xbox layoffs reported as being planned by Sharma materialize.
Citations marquantes
The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter.— Amy Coleman, Microsoft Chief People Officer
There are no plans for another buyout at this time.— Microsoft spokesperson, to Business Insider (paraphrased)
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