Microsoft Clarifies Broad Voluntary Separation Program
Microsoft launched a broad voluntary separation compensation program and expects no more than 3,000 employees, or 5% or less of eligible staff, to accept, according to IT之家, citing Business Insider. CFO Amy Hood said the program lets interested employees choose how to leave. An anonymous Microsoft executive denied that the company intended to cut 60,000 positions or replace everyone with AI, but did not rule out future layoffs; Microsoft said staffing decisions will depend on business needs and priorities. Unlike an earlier voluntary retirement program, which generally did not backfill departing positions, the new initiative allows Microsoft to recruit replacements for some departing employees.
The program's broad eligibility prompted internal concern about large-scale layoffs and AI-related job replacement. One anonymous executive denied plans for 60,000 cuts or wholesale AI replacement, while Microsoft's response that future staffing will depend on business needs did not rule out later layoffs.
IT之家 10 月 31 日消息，微软本周推出的大规模员工自愿离职补偿计划震惊业界，也引发外界质疑：微软为什么会考虑让这么多人离职？
微软内部同样议论纷纷：公司难道想减少 6 万名员工？AI 会取代这些岗位吗？接下来是不是还要裁员？
《商业内幕》近日采访了多名匿名微软内部人士，希望弄清这项计划背后的真实情况。从目前掌握的信息来看，微软似乎只是因为离职补偿计划覆盖范围太广，无意间引发了员工恐慌，迫使管理层急忙出面安抚。
微软 CFO 艾米 · 胡德在内部备忘录中解释，推出计划是为了“让有意离职的员工能够自主决定如何离开公司”，预计只有“极少数员工”会接受。
微软随后进一步明确，预计最终接受补偿离职的员工最多 3000 人，占符合条件员工总数的 5% 或更少。
今年早些时候，微软曾根据员工的年龄和工龄推出自愿退休补偿计划，当时约三分之一的员工选择接受。但微软不久后又进行了一轮裁员，部分拒绝退休补偿的员工最终仍被解雇。