Microsoft, a major technology company, has offered a Voluntary Buyout Programme to its employees in four countries, including India. Under this initiative, eligible workers will have the option to leave the company with support from Microsoft.
According to news agency Reuters, this program could cover around 60 thousand employees, which is more than a quarter of the company's total global workforce. Microsoft has taken this step during a period of active investment growth in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).
The company aims to simultaneously control rising costs and adapt its staffing levels and organizational structure to changing market needs.
According to information from Microsoft, the voluntary buyout program will operate in India, the USA, the UK, and Canada. It will provide an opportunity for employees meeting certain criteria in teams at level 70 and below to leave the company. This program has a limited duration. The company announced that detailed information about this offer would be provided to the relevant employees within hours of the announcement.
A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that the program will extend to personnel in many divisions, such as AI Experience, Copilot, Finance, Human Resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices. However, marketing, commercial business, and security teams are excluded from this program.
In a memo sent to employees, Microsoft's Head of Human Resources, Amy Coleman, explained the motives behind this program. She noted that the offer provides eligible employees with an alternative option for finding future opportunities outside the company, allowing them to make this transition with Microsoft's support. Furthermore, this scheme serves as an additional way for relevant departments to streamline their staff and workforce in line with their evolving requirements.
Microsoft emphasized that this is a temporary voluntary program developed based on experience gained from implementing a previously introduced voluntary retirement program.
This initiative comes against the backdrop of large global technology corporations investing huge sums in AI-related infrastructure, including data center and advanced chip costs. Microsoft forecasts capital expenditures of $175 billion for the calendar year 2026. Nevertheless, investors are questioning what return such massive investments will bring the company in the future.
The company plans to announce its first-quarter financial results after the stock market closes on Wednesday. Investors will closely monitor these results to understand the contribution of Microsoft's AI investments to business growth and profitability.
Microsoft has previously taken several measures to reduce its workforce. This year, the company announced another voluntary layoff program that affected about 9 thousand employees in the USA, accounting for approximately 7 percent of the American staff. Moreover, in July, Microsoft announced a plan to eliminate 4,800 jobs, which corresponded to approximately 2.1 percent of its global workforce. This decision was made as part of the restructuring of the Xbox gaming business and a plan to sell five studios. The goal of these changes was to achieve better returns on the significant investments made in the gaming business over many years.
According to Microsoft's annual report, as of June 30, 2026, the company had 223,000 employees worldwide.
Following the news of the voluntary buyout program, Microsoft's shares rose by about one percent on Monday. This year, the company's shares have already increased by about 10 percent. According to Reuters, the news of the new layoff offer was first published by Business Insider.
The company's decision indicates that, on one hand, Microsoft continues to invest heavily in AI technology and infrastructure, while on the other hand, it is taking steps to reorganize its personnel in line with changing business needs.
