Microsoft buyouts for 60,000 employees? What the company said

Microsoft on Monday announced a new Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) for eligible employees in select teams across India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, offering financial support and career-planning resources to employees who choose to leave the company. The programme will be available to eligible employees at level 70 and below in participating organisations.

Media reports said Microsoft is offering buyouts to about 60,000 employees across India, the US, the UK and Canada, marking the company's second voluntary separation programme this year and a much wider effort than the retirement scheme launched earlier in 2026.

Microsoft said the offer is intended for employees "who may be considering a future outside the company" and gives participating organisations "another way to adapt their workforce to changing needs." "Today, we're introducing a new Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) to eligible employees within participating organizations," Amy Coleman, Microsoft's executive vice president and chief people officer, said in a message to employees.

"This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support. It also gives participating organizations another way to adapt their workforce to changing needs," she said.

Microsoft said the time-limited programme will provide eligible employees with financial support and career-planning resources. Employees eligible for the offer will receive details via email. The company said participation in the programme will vary across business units, with some organisations offering the Voluntary Exit Offer and others opting out based on business priorities, customer commitments and workforce requirements.

According to Microsoft, the initiative builds on its Voluntary Retirement Program introduced earlier this year and reflects an effort to provide employees with greater flexibility during periods of organisational change.

"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 said.

Describing the programme as a new initiative for the company, Coleman said Microsoft would continue to evaluate the offer while helping employees develop new skills and pursue opportunities within the organisation.

"There is no one-size-fits-all approach for every team or every employee. These are a few of the ways we're trying to meet different business needs while continuing to create opportunities for our own people to grow and contribute," she said.

Coleman added that Microsoft would continue to "provide clarity, listen and learn and keep improving" as the company adapts its workforce strategies to evolving business needs.