Microsoft Offers Voluntary Buyouts to About 60,000 Employees
Microsoft said Monday it is offering voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. The company said the limited-time program will give eligible workers the option to leave with support while participating teams adjust to changing needs.
The offer covers more than a quarter of Microsoft's global workforce. The company reported 223,000 full-time employees worldwide as of June 30. Microsoft declined to say how many Canadian employees received the offer when asked by CBC News.
A person familiar with the plan told Reuters that employees in AI experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox, and Windows and Devices are among those eligible. Marketing, commercial business and security teams are excluded, according to the person, who spoke anonymously because the details were private.
In a staff memo, chief people officer Amy Coleman said the program gives employees considering a move outside Microsoft a supported way to depart. She said it also provides participating teams another means to respond to changing needs. The company said eligible staff would receive details within hours.
The announcement comes as Microsoft and other technology companies increase spending on AI data centres and chips. Microsoft has projected $175 billion US in capital expenditure for calendar 2026. Investors are watching whether that spending will produce sufficient returns. The company is due to release quarterly results Wednesday, October 28.
Microsoft previously offered buyouts to roughly 9,000 US employees, about seven per cent of its US workforce. In July, it announced 4,800 job cuts tied to changes in its Xbox business, including plans to divest up to five studios. Its shares rose about one per cent Monday after gaining around 10 per cent this year.
Business Insider first reported the buyout. Microsoft said this program follows lessons learned from a voluntary retirement initiative.