Microsoft began laying off thousands of employees, targeting less than 3% of its global workforce in a move to streamline operations and reduce management layers.

Microsoft says nearly 3%, or more than 6,000 in its workforce, is being cut as other tech giants have recently acted similarly.

Microsoft has announced massive layoffs, affecting over 6,000 employees, mostly from its gaming and Xbox divisions. This is more than 3% of their workforce, and the company says it is an organisational change.

In Washington state, software engineers made up more than 40 per cent of the roughly 2,000 positions cut. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

In comparison, 2024 saw around 1,50,000 job cuts across 549 companies. In May 2025, big tech companies Amazon, Google, and Meta announced reductions in certain divisions while Microsoft announced its biggest round of job cuts since 2023, with over 6,000 employees being laid off across its businesses.

The recent Microsoft layoffs have reignited discussions on the relative stability and financial rewards of careers in technology compared to government employment. While some highlight the insecurity of tech jobs amid mass layoffs,

Microsoft has announced its plan to lay off 3% of its workforce, translating to 6000 employees globally. This marks its largest job cut since 2023, when it let go of 10,000 employees. The layoffs are part of Microsoft’s plan to manage and cut costs by shedding $1.