On Monday, Microsoft said it will offer voluntary buyouts to eligible employees in select parts of the company. CNBC reports that the acquisitions will be offered to approximately 60,000 employees, or about a quarter of its global workforce. The company describes the offer as an opportunity for employees who have already been considering a career change outside of Microsoft. While Microsoft did not give a direct reason for the purchase package, it comes as the company has spent the last few years managing costs amid investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure and data center construction.
Microsoft will expand the voluntary exit offer (VEO) to qualified employees in the United States, India, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Microsoft employees at level 70 or below will be eligible for the purchase program. The company’s employee classifications are internal, but according to the Levels.fyi salary and career database, levels 65 to 67 are senior positions, and 68 to 70 are at the partner/distinguished level. According to Amy Coleman, chief people officer, eligible organizations were selected “based on each business’s priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs.”
This is the second time Microsoft has voluntarily reduced its workforce in 2026. In April, the company offered its first voluntary retirement package to 8,750 US employees. In July, the Xbox division laid off 3,200 employees, or about 20 percent of its entire gaming division. As reported by CNBC, about 30 percent of eligible employees accepted the retirement offer, reducing the impact of the planned layoffs, according to Coleman. While April’s offering targeted long-time employees who may be nearing the end of their career, VEO is expanding the effort to a much larger potential group.
