Microsoft offers voluntary exit packages to up to 60,000 employees

Microsoft has introduced a time-limited Voluntary Exit Offer to up to 60,000 employees across participating teams, GamesIndustry.biz, Destructoid, and The Verge reported. The buyout offer was announced in a memo by Amy Coleman, executive vice president and chief people officer at Microsoft. The offer applies to eligible staff in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India. [1][3][6][10]

The exit packages are open to workers at level 70 and below, as reported by GamesIndustry.biz, while Engadget reported that select employees at the vice president level and below are eligible. Staff in the Xbox gaming division are eligible for the buyouts, according to GamesIndustry.biz. Other eligible teams include AI experiences, Copilot, CoreAI, Windows and Devices, finance, and human resources. [1][4]

Outlets differ on the proportion of Microsoft's workforce affected by the offer. Rock Paper Shotgun, Engadget, and Yahoo Finance UK reported that the 60,000 eligible staff represent around a quarter of Microsoft's total workforce. Engadget noted that Microsoft employs approximately 223,000 people. Destructoid reported that the figure represents about a third of the company's global headcount. [2][3][4][12]

The buyout terms match standard Microsoft severance packages, according to reporting cited by Engadget. Destructoid and Eurogamer reported that the voluntary exit program follows earlier rounds of layoffs at the company's Xbox division. [3][4][7]