Microsoft lays off hundreds of employees, just six months after the company said it would axe 10,000 jobs

Priya Walia

Microsoft

Microsoft has implemented a reduction in its workforce. The latest round of layoffs, as indicated by various reports, is distinct from the 10,000 job cuts that Microsoft had previously announced in January. In the preceding year, the company had also made a modest number of staff reductions during this same period.

On Monday, the software giant officially disclosed that it had terminated the employment of 276 individuals in its offices in Redmond and Bellevue, both in Washington. The information is based on data sourced from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) system.

The layoff process allegedly commenced throughout the weekend.

The statistics reveal that out of the total number, 210 employees from the Redmond office were affected, while 66 positions held remotely from the Bellevue office were eliminated. Geekwire reported these figures and informed that the impacted personnel primarily belonged to the customer service, sales, and support departments.

In an official statement issued to GeekWire, the company has acknowledged the recent workforce reductions and emphasized that organizational and workforce adjustments are integral and customary in effectively managing their operations. Furthermore, the company reaffirmed its dedication to prioritize and invest in key growth sectors to sustain its future initiatives and meet the requirements of its valued customers and partners.

“Organizational and workforce adjustments are a necessary and regular part of managing our business. We will continue to prioritize and invest in strategic growth areas for our future and in support of our customers and partners,” a Microsoft spokesperson said.

In mid-January, Microsoft announced its plans to reduce its workforce by 10,000 positions in the upcoming months, attributing this decision to the prevailing global economic downturn.

The tech giant carried out its most recent round of layoffs in March, which included the disbandment of its AI ethics team as part of the previously announced extensive job cuts in January. Furthermore, Microsoft’s subsidiary, the internet hosting service GitHub, reduced its workforce by 10% in February. The action was attributed to budget realignments aimed at safeguarding our business’s immediate health and providing us with resources to support our long-term strategy.

Via GeekWire