FILE - A Microsoft sign and logo are pictured at the company's headquarters, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Redmond, Wash.
Jason Redmond / AP
Microsoft employees fear another large round of layoffs is around the corner.
The local tech giant is planning to lay off thousands of additional workers next month, according to Bloomberg News and a longtime Microsoft employee who asked not to be named.
The layoffs are expected as part of a reorganization of Microsoft’s sales department. The latest cuts would be on top of 6,000 employees Microsoft laid off in May, about 3% of its workforce.
Microsoft has undergone several rounds of layoffs since 2022, shedding workers as it develops and adopts artificial intelligence tools that can automate some office work.
V.L. was let go during the last round of layoffs. She asked to be identified by her initials to protect her future job prospects. Before her position was cut, V.L. said her team faced pressure to automate parts of its workflow.
“It’s like a horrible game of musical chairs and there’s just fewer and fewer chairs for people who are in these industries overall,” V.L. said in May. ”It’s just going to shrink.”
Microsoft did not answer questions about the anticipated layoff. In a statement, a company spokesperson said, “as they typically do year-round, teams evaluate business priorities and ensure they are aligning to the right opportunities for strategic growth.”
