Microsoft confirmed it is offering a "Voluntary Exit Offer" to about 60,000 employees, according to a note from Chief People Officer Amy Coleman. Business Insider first reported the news. Eligible staff are at vice president level and below on select teams in the U.S., Canada, India and the U.K.; Bloomberg reports Xbox, Windows, Copilot and Finance are participating, while data center, sales and marketing staff are excluded.
The terms are similar to Microsoft's standard severance. Microsoft's note calls the program "new for us" and says the company will "learn from it." The aim is to reduce headcount without mass layoffs by letting employees choose whether to leave. Offer emails were due to go out on Monday, October 26.
It follows an April 2026 buyout aimed at retirement-age staff, which more than 30% of roughly 8,750 eligible workers accepted. Microsoft's headcount stood at 223,000 at the end of June, so the new offer covers over a quarter of the workforce as the company restructures for the AI era.