By Clara Espinoza
Publication Date: 2026-10-27 15:49:00
Photo by Xavier GALIANA / AFP via Getty Images
The Briefing:
- Roughly 60,000 employees — about one quarter of Microsoft’s global workforce — received Voluntary Exit Offer details on October 26.
- Eligible workers in the U.S., Canada, India, and the U.K. have until early December 2026 to decide; those who accept depart on December 31.
- Data center staff, marketing, and commercial sales units are excluded from the offer — the functions Microsoft has identified as non-negotiable during its AI infrastructure buildout.
A Program With No Precedent at Microsoft
Microsoft confirmed on Monday it is extending voluntary exit packages to approximately 60,000 employees, covering more than a quarter of its global workforce in what represents the broadest such offer the company has ever made. TechCrunch confirmed the program after Microsoft published the employee memo on…