Microsoft confirmed to TechCrunch on Monday that it is presenting voluntary exit packages to about 60,000 employees as part of a broader effort to trim costs and reshape its workforce for the era of artificial intelligence. The company’s chief people officer, Amy Coleman, communicated the offer in a memo that was also posted on Microsoft’s internal site.
The memo states that employees at the vice‑president level and below on selected teams in the United States, Canada, India and the United Kingdom are eligible. Bloomberg identified divisions such as Xbox, Windows, Copilot and Finance as participants in the program, while staff in data‑center operations, sales and marketing are excluded.
“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,” the note reads. “This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support.”
Eligible workers will receive an email on Monday containing a link to the details of the Voluntary Exit Offer. The financial terms are expected to resemble Microsoft’s standard severance packages. The memo adds that the Voluntary Exit Offer is a new initiative for the company and that it will be refined over time. It also emphasizes that Microsoft will continue to help employees focus on priority work, develop new skills and, when appropriate, explore internal opportunities. The company notes that there is no single solution that fits every team or individual, and the buyout program is one of several ways it is trying to meet diverse business needs while still providing growth options for its people.
By offering buyouts, Microsoft aims to reduce headcount without resorting to large‑scale layoffs. This is not the first time the firm has used such a strategy; earlier in the year it offered voluntary exits to employees near retirement, and more than 30 percent of the roughly 8,750 eligible participants accepted. Microsoft’s total workforce stood at 223,000 at the end of June.
The article was updated on October 26, 2026, at 11:21 a.m. PT to include additional details from Microsoft.