Microsoft to lay off 9,000 workers globally in second wave of job cuts in 2025
Microsoft has commenced another round of layoffs that will see around 9,000 employees let go, marking its second major job cut this year as the tech giant intensifies efforts to streamline operations and manage costs.
The latest cuts will affect about 4% of Microsoft’s total global workforce, which stood at 228,000 as of June 2024.
According to a Bloomberg report citing the company spokesperson, the layoffs will span across various teams, geographies, and levels of seniority.
The move, according to the company, is part of broader organizational changes aimed at simplifying internal processes and reducing management layers.
“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” the spokesperson said.
The layoffs were first reported by Bloomberg, which noted that the affected units include Microsoft’s sales division, particularly salespeople, and teams under its Xbox gaming arm.
This follows an earlier round of 6,000 job cuts in May, which largely impacted product and engineering roles.
Microsoft typically undertakes organizational restructuring near the end of its fiscal year, which closes in June. The company employs approximately 45,000 people in sales and marketing alone.
In a related development, Judson Althoff, Microsoft’s Chief Commercial Officer and head of global sales, is expected to begin a two-month sabbatical in July.
Microsoft has clarified that his leave was pre-planned and he will return in September.
