Microsoft will offer voluntary buyouts for some workers for the first time ever
Microsoft has just taken another step in the business, but not in the right direction.
The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is set to offer voluntary buyouts to a portion of its U.S. workforce, CNBC reports. This may not be a big deal for many companies, but this is the first time Microsoft has attempted to downsize in this way since the company was founded 51 years ago.
To be eligible, an employee must be at the senior manager level or below, and their age and years of employment must total at least 70. The program also excludes anyone on a sales incentive plan. Details of the buyout plan remain unknown, but it appears those eligible will hear more on May 7.
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“We hope this program will give eligible individuals the choice to take the next step on their own terms, with the company’s generous support,” Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief human resources officer and executive vice president, said in an employee memo obtained by CNBC.
Although Microsoft has never offered a voluntary buyout (at least in the United States) before, the company has laid off thousands of employees in 2025. Windows Factory is experiencing turbulent times; the company is investing heavily in data centers and other AI projects. Some analysts are wary of the real value of this massive investment in AI for Satya Nadella’s company.
Meanwhile, many other divisions within Microsoft appear to be in flux. The Xbox division just underwent a massive and somewhat surprising management change, the Surface laptop division just implemented a huge price increase on its products, and Microsoft itself continues to be a major target of the BDS boycott list due to its partnership with the Israeli military.
Other than that, everything is good in Redmond.
