Ritika
The economy may be in bad shape today, but few companies have been as hard hit by the recession as tech companies. Microsoft is no exception to this trend – the world’s largest software company recently announced that it would be laying off 10,000 employees. Now, Reuters reports that Microsoft will proceed with yet another round of layoffs: 689 employees from its Seattle regional office are set to lose their jobs.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft has been forced to go through large-scale job losses this year. In February, the Xbox, Surface, and HoloLens departments experienced some expected redundancies, while January saw 878 employees let go. The latest announcement brings the number of employees in Microsoft’s Redmond, Bellevue and Issaquah offices down to 2,184.
The layoffs will affect Visual Studio, Entertainment and Devices, and Azure Edge+ Platform divisions. Those who are being let go will receive a notice period of 60 days. They will also be given various benefits, such as severance packages, and access to a career transition support center that provides counseling, guidance, and other services.
The decision to take these measures was taken in light of the current economic climate and changing customer needs. Microsoft isn’t the only big name tech firm that has opted for massive job cuts this year. Yahoo, GitHub, and GitLab have all gone down the same path as well. Given the circumstances, it is quite likely that more layoffs could be on the horizon for Microsoft.
There is no doubt that the effects of the recession have been severe for tech companies in general. But fortunately, Microsoft is still actively looking for new talent, launching several recent recruitment initiatives. Many tech companies have also been trying to provide training and other resources to help those affected by the layoffs.
It remains to be seen if the current economic climate will improve in the near future, or if more tech firms will have to resort to job cuts. Until then, we can only hope that companies like Microsoft are able to put out initiatives that can help both existing and prospective employees.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on many aspects of the global economy. The tech industry is not immune, and unfortunately Microsoft is one of the many companies that have had to resort to layoffs. 689 employees from its Seattle regional office are set to lose their jobs, bringing the total number of layoffs for Microsoft this year up to 10,000.
The divisions that will be affected include Visual Studio, Entertainment and Devices, and Azure Edge+ Platform, with many other big name tech firms following suit. Although these job losses cannot be avoided, Microsoft is still actively trying to recruit new talent, launching several recruitment initiatives to help fill the gaps.
Those who are being let go will receive a notice period of 60 days, as well as various benefits such as severance packages and access to a career transition support center. This initiative helps connecting laid-off employees with the resources they need to transition easily into a new job.
The tech industry can expect more layoffs in the coming months, as the current economic situation shows no signs of improvement. At least Microsoft and other major companies have taken responsibility by providing various means of assistance and employment resources.
In the end, all we can do is hope that these efforts ultimately help those affected by layoffs. While the future of the global economy is uncertain, technology companies will have to take proactive measures to ensure that the tech industry is ready to weather the storm.
