Microsoft Offers Voluntary Exit to About 60,000 Employees in Four Countries, at Vice President Level and Below
Microsoft on October 26 introduced a Voluntary Exit Offer covering about 60,000 employees: in a memo to staff, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said eligible employees on participating teams in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, at level 70 and below (vice president level and below), may apply for what the company called a time-limited, voluntary program offering financial support and career planning resources. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that about 60,000 employees are eligible; the memo text published on Microsoft's own blog does not itself give a headcount.
"The Voluntary Exit Offer reflects an important part of how we're evolving our approach to change: creating greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter," Coleman wrote. She said the offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support, while giving participating organizations another way to adjust their workforces as needs change, and that eligible employees would receive an email with their offer details within hours. According to a person familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, divisions covered include SI experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox and Windows + Devices, while units such as marketing, commercial business and security are excluded; Coleman also noted that only some organizations are providing the offer. Benefits for those who accept are similar to a standard severance package, and Microsoft has not said how many acceptances it expects.
This is Microsoft's second voluntary program this year. Earlier in 2026 the company offered a voluntary retirement program to about 8,750 eligible employees, and more than 30% accepted. In July, Microsoft also eliminated 4,800 roles, about 2.1% of its global workforce. Microsoft's company facts page lists its worldwide headcount at 223,000 as of September 30, 2026, with 121,000 employees in the United States, so the roughly 60,000 eligible employees amount to about a quarter of its workforce. The program comes as Microsoft spends heavily on super intelligence infrastructure and data centers while repeatedly reshaping its staffing.
Source: GSM News, USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Redmond 的微软园区92号楼（Building 92）入口与微软标识。图片：Jiaqian AirplaneFan，CC BY 3.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Building 92 entrance and Microsoft sign at the Microsoft campus in Redmond. Image: Jiaqian AirplaneFan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
