Microsoft is set to cut 4% of its global workforce in its biggest round of layoffs since 2023.
According to reports from the Seattle Times, the tech giant confirmed the plans, with around 9,000 roles jobs set to be slashed.
Exact details on what roles will be impacted are yet to emerge. However, reports from Bloomberg in June suggested the company was targeting cuts in areas such as sales.
Reports from Windows Central also show the layoffs will impact staff at the Xbox division.
A spokesperson for Microsoft told ITPro: “We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace.”
The layoffs at Microsoft mark the third round of cuts in the space of two months. In May, the tech giant revealed plans to cut 3% of its global workforce, equivalent to around 6,000 roles.
These cuts spanned a range of divisions, locations, and seniority levels, with workers at the company’s Redmond headquarters bearing the brunt.
These cuts were followed in quick succession by an additional round of layoffs which affected around 300 staff. According to Worker Adjustment and Training Notification (WARN) filings, 305 Washington-based staff in total were affected.
Both rounds saw software engineers and developers impacted.
Microsoft layoffs show no sign of slowing down
All told, the latest batch of job cuts marks the fifth round of layoffs for the tech giant so far this year. In January, reports emerged that the firm was specifically targeting underperforming staff.
First reported by Business Insider, these cuts were aimed at maximizing efficiency across a range of divisions and removing layers of management.
Another round of January layoffs hit staff in a broad array of teams, including security, sales, experiences and devices, and gaming, according to reports at the time.
Staff at the company, and indeed the technology sector in general, have become no strangers to layoffs over the last two years. 2023, for example, was among one of the worst on record with 264,220 roles cut across 1,193 companies globally.
While 2024 wasn’t quite on the same scale, over 152,000 tech roles were cut across 548 companies, according to figures from Layoffs.fyi.
A key factor in these repeated rounds of layoffs has been an effort to streamline efficiency and reduce headcount in the wake of pandemic-era overhiring.
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