Around 60,000 Microsoft employees in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom have been included in a new voluntary departure program.
The company confirmed the development to Agence France-Presse (AFP), just six months after implementing its first similar scheme.
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The offer applies to certain categories of employees and aims to align the workforce structure with the company’s changing needs. In a letter to staff, Chief Human Resources Officer Amy Coleman said the program provided another alternative for aligning the organization of employees with Microsoft’s objectives, without directly linking it to the impact of artificial intelligence.
The scheme covers employees up to the vice president level, while several categories are excluded, including some data center, sales and marketing staff. Those who accept the offer will receive compensation under terms similar to those applied in cases of company-initiated layoffs.
Microsoft estimates that participation in the new program will be significantly lower than in the previous initiative, which took place in April. At that time, the offer was made to around 8,750 employees in the United States and was accepted by approximately one-third of those who met the criteria.
The April program was open only to employees whose age and years of service at the company added up to at least 70 years. In July, Microsoft said the positions vacated through the scheme would not be replaced with artificial intelligence. The company announced that the cost of the program was $900 million.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s workforce reorganization has continued. In early July, the technology giant cut around 4,800 jobs, representing 2.1% of its global workforce. During 2025, the company had eliminated more than 15,000 positions.
Microsoft’s annual report shows that the total number of employees fell by 5,000 in the year ended June 30. This was the first decline in the figure since 2016. At the end of June, the company, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, had around 223,000 employees.
During the same period, Microsoft significantly increased its spending on artificial intelligence. During the April-June quarter, investment reached $41 billion, mainly for data centers and the chips needed to develop the technology.
Financial results for the July-September quarter are expected to be released on Wednesday. Earlier, Microsoft had forecast that investment for the period would exceed $50 billion.
The new voluntary departure initiative comes as the company reshapes its organization in line with its new business priorities and expands investment in artificial intelligence and technology infrastructure.
