Microsoft offers voluntary exit program to employees in 4 countries

Microsoft introduced a voluntary exit program Monday for eligible employees in Canada, India, the UK and the US, offering staff considering leaving the company an opportunity to do so.

Amy Coleman, Microsoft's chief people officer, said in a message to employees that the time-limited Voluntary Exit Offer is available to staff at level 70 and below in participating teams.

Participation varies by organization depending on business priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs, she said.

"The Voluntary Exit Offer is new for us. We'll learn from it," Coleman said.

Microsoft did not disclose how many employees would be eligible, but tech news outlet The Verge, citing unnamed sources, reported that the offer could extend to as many as 60,000 people.

According to the report, participating teams include AI Experiences, Copilot, CoreAI, Windows + Devices, Xbox, finance and human resources.

Cloud + AI, MicrosoftAI and corporate, external and legal affairs are participating partially, while marketing, commercial business, discovery and quantum, and security are excluded.

The Verge reported that the program would allow Microsoft to reduce its workforce without another round of layoffs, months after the company cut 4,800 jobs, primarily in Xbox and commercial sales.

The outlet also cited a Fortune report that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma was planning further layoffs.

The new initiative follows a voluntary retirement program earlier this year that covered approximately 9,000 US employees whose combined age and years of service totaled at least 70, according to The Verge.