Microsoft Offers Buyouts to 60,000 Staff, Including India

Microsoft has launched a major voluntary exit program, offering buyout packages to approximately 60,000 eligible employees—roughly 27% of its global workforce of about 223,000. The initiative, announced on October 26, 2026, by Chief People Officer Amy Coleman, aims to provide greater flexibility amid the company’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence while managing overall headcount and costs.

The Voluntary Exit Offer is available to staff at level 70 (which includes some senior leaders and vice president-level roles) and below in participating teams across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India. Not every division is included. Sales organizations, certain engineering groups, marketing, security, data center operations, and some corporate functions are excluded. Participating areas reportedly include AI experiences, Copilot, finance, human resources, Xbox, and Windows + Devices.

Terms mirror Microsoft’s standard severance packages and vary by level, location, and tenure. They typically include weeks of base pay (for example, one or two weeks per six months of service, capped in many cases at 39 weeks or more for higher levels), continued stock vesting for a period, health insurance coverage, and career transition support. Eligible employees will receive personalized details by email and have until early December to decide, with those accepting required to exit by December 31, 2026.

This follows an earlier voluntary retirement program offered to about 9,000 U.S. employees based on age and tenure. Microsoft frames the new offer as a way for employees considering a move outside the company to leave with support, while giving teams flexibility to adapt staffing to evolving priorities. The company continues heavy AI-related capital spending, projected at around $175 billion for 2026, focused on data centers and infrastructure.

For Indian employees, who form a significant part of Microsoft’s global talent base (around 23,000 staff in the country), the inclusion means eligible team members can access the same voluntary packages. Exact numbers of Indian staff covered have not been disclosed, but the move signals that restructuring is global rather than limited to Western markets.

The program is voluntary and time-limited, with no immediate plans announced for further buyouts. It reflects a broader industry trend of balancing rapid AI expansion with workforce optimization, allowing employees choice while helping the company control costs without immediate forced layoffs