Microsoft Offers Buyouts to 60000 Employees Across Four Countries

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyout packages to approximately 60000 employees, representing about one-quarter of its workforce, as the technology company seeks to manage staffing levels without relying entirely on layoffs. Announced Monday, October 26, 2026, the program covers eligible employees at the vice president level and below in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. According to The Seattle Times, eligible workers will receive a voluntary departure offer that includes a standard severance package adjusted for their location.

The initiative extends Microsoft's efforts to reduce its corporate workforce, a process that has involved multiple rounds of job cuts since May 2025. The company previously introduced a voluntary retirement program for more than 8700 US-based employees earlier in 2026. About one-third of those eligible accepted the offer, according to a memo from Microsoft Chief People Officer Amy Coleman.

Coleman described the latest initiative as an extension of that earlier program in her communication to employees. The new offer expands the voluntary departure approach across several countries, although the company has not provided a final estimate of how many employees will accept the packages.

Microsoft began reducing its corporate workforce in May 2025, initially through large-scale layoffs. The company eliminated approximately 15000 positions over several months last year, including about 3200 jobs in Washington state, according to The Seattle Times. Job reductions have continued in 2026, but the subsequent cuts have been smaller and have largely affected Microsoft's gaming division. That business is operating under new leadership and undergoing a substantial restructuring, the newspaper reported.

The latest buyout program gives eligible employees an alternative to involuntary job cuts as Microsoft continues adjusting its staffing levels. The terms of the severance packages vary by location, and the offer applies to employees who meet the company's eligibility requirements.