Microsoft expected to cut thousands of jobs

Microsoft expected to cut thousands of jobs
The logo of Microsoft is displayed over a booth at the Web Summit digital trade show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, 12 May, 2026.
Reuters

Microsoft is expected to announce a new round of job cuts as early as next week as the technology giant looks to reduce costs, according to reports.

Business Insider, citing people familiar with the matter, said the layoffs are expected to affect fewer than 2.5 per cent of Microsoft's global workforce. However, with the company employing around 220,000 people, the reductions could still impact several thousand staff.

The cuts are expected to fall across a number of divisions, including sales, consulting and the Xbox gaming business.

According to the report, some employees affected by the restructuring will be offered alternative roles within the company immediately. If the job cuts happen, it would be Microsoft's third significant round of layoffs in little more than a year.

In May last year, the company announced plans to cut around 6,000 jobs as part of broader efforts to streamline its operations. That was followed in July by a further 9,000 layoffs, representing around 4 per cent of its workforce at the time.

Like many large technology firms, Microsoft has been reshaping parts of its business while continuing to invest heavily in artificial intelligence (AI). The company has committed billions of dollars to AI infrastructure and products, even as it seeks efficiencies in other areas of its operations.

Microsoft has not publicly confirmed the reported job cuts.

Tags