Microsoft has offered voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 employees, according to reports published on October 26, 2026. The number is roughly 27% of the 223,000 people the company reported employing at the end of June.
Who is eligible
The offer covers employees at vice president level or below in select teams in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. The affected areas include Xbox, Windows, Copilot and finance. Data center, sales and marketing employees are reportedly excluded. Eligible employees were notified by email on the day of the announcement.
What employees are offered
Workers who accept will receive benefits similar to Microsoft's standard severance package. The specific amounts have not been disclosed. Employees have until early December to decide, and those who accept would leave the company on December 31.
What Microsoft said
Amy Coleman, Microsoft's Chief People Officer, said: "The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change." Coverage describes the program as a way to reduce headcount without mass layoffs, and ties it to the cost of AI and data center investment and a wider efficiency push.
Second program this year
This is Microsoft's second voluntary exit program in 2026. In April, the company made its first such offer, aimed at long-tenured, retirement-age employees. About 8,750 people were eligible, and reportedly more than 30% accepted.
What to watch
The main open questions are how many employees accept before the December deadline and what the packages will cost the company.
