Microsoft layoffs may hit 3% of global workforce
Published in Business News
Microsoft confirmed Tuesday that it’s laying off thousands of employees across the company.
The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant didn’t disclose how many employees it plans to lay off, but a spokesperson said up to 3% of Microsoft’s workforce could be affected. Microsoft has 228,000 employees worldwide, meaning more than 6,800 people could be laid off.
“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Tuesday’s layoffs will be the largest wave since 2023, when Microsoft announced it was cutting 10,000 employees. More than 3,000 Seattle-area Microsoft employees were laid off in 2023.
Layoffs have continued since then, but in small drips rather than huge waves. The company has rarely confirmed numbers or disclosed which teams were most affected. In January, Microsoft acknowledged a round of performance-based layoffs.
Tuesday’s layoffs were not performance-based, the spokesperson said. They said market conditions are a factor as well as a desire to flatten management layers.
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