Microsoft is offering voluntary retirement to about 8,750 US employees, marking the first time in its 51-year history. The move comes amid a stock price decline and increased AI infrastructure spending, aiming for a softer approach than previous layoffs.
Microsoft is offering voluntary retirement to approximately 8,750 US employees (7% of its 125,000-person American workforce) — the first such program in the company's 51-year history. Eligibility requires employees to have age plus years at Microsoft equal 70 or higher, be at senior director level or below, and not be on a sales incentive plan. The move represents a strategic shift from blunt layoffs (which totaled over 15,000 last summer alone) to a softer approach as the company faces pressure from a declining stock price and heavy AI infrastructure investments. Eligible employees will be notified May 7 with 30 days to decide.
