Tech giant Microsoft announced Tuesday that it is laying off approximately three per cent of its global workforce, amounting to around 6,000 employees. The move, part of an ongoing effort to streamline operations and reduce management layers, will affect staff at all levels and across various regions.
In a statement, the company said the layoffs are designed “to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,” emphasising a focus on efficiency and cutting redundancy in processes and roles. The company began notifying affected employees on Tuesday.
While Microsoft did not specify the exact number of job cuts, The Associated Press reported the figure to be roughly 6,000. The company’s total global workforce stood at 228,000 as of June 2024.
“We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to enhance our efficiency,” Microsoft said, adding that it will “minimise redundancy by streamlining our processes, procedures and roles.”
During an April earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood acknowledged the company’s intent to reduce managerial layers. She also noted that Microsoft’s headcount in March 2025 was up 2% compared to the same time last year but slightly lower than it was at the end of 2024.
This marks the tech giant’s largest job reduction since 2023, when it slashed 11,000 positions globally.
The layoffs come despite the company’s strong financial performance. In its latest earnings report for the quarter ending March 31, the company posted $70.1 billion in revenue, a 13% increase from the same quarter the previous year.
