American technology giant, Microsoft has confirmed another round of layoffs, impacting approximately 300 employees at its Redmond headquarters in the United States.
According to a report by the Washington State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification entry, the layoffs will primarily affect customer service, support, and sales teams. A total of 276 workers in Redmond and Bellevue will be affected by the job cuts.
This announcement comes shortly after the conclusion of Microsoft’s previous fiscal year, suggesting that the layoffs are part of an ongoing restructuring effort.
The company is facing increasing competition from other major tech giants like Amazon and Google.
The layoffs will impact 210 office-based workers and 66 remote workers, bringing the total number of affected employees to 276.
A Microsoft spokesperson stated that organizational and workforce adjustments are a regular part of business management, with a focus on strategic investments for the company’s growth. However, no specific reasons for the layoffs have been disclosed.
This latest round of layoffs follows a previous workforce reduction of 10,000 employees a few months ago. CEO Satya Nadella has emphasized the need for adaptability and platform shift within the company.
Microsoft employees have expressed criticism towards Nadella, particularly regarding his declaration of a “landmark year” for the company while refusing to increase workers’ pay.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic challenges, companies have been seeking to streamline their workforces, resulting in layoffs in the tech industry. This trend has affected numerous tech workers in the Seattle area, where Microsoft and Amazon are headquartered.