New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- Microsoft has introduced a voluntary exit programme for eligible employees in India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, offering financial assistance and career transition support to those considering leaving the company.
Around 60,000 employees globally are eligible for the time-limited offer, including staff at Microsoft's India operations, which employ approximately 23,000 people. The number of Indian employees eligible for the scheme remains unclear. Eligible employees in India are understood to have until December 1 to decide whether to accept the offer.
The package is understood to include one month's base salary for every completed year of service, along with health insurance and career transition services, broadly following a standard severance arrangement.
Microsoft Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer Amy Coleman said the Voluntary Exit Offer (VEO) would be available to employees at level 70 and below in participating teams across the four countries. These internal job grades cover employees at different levels of seniority.
The initiative is intended to give employees considering opportunities outside Microsoft an option to leave with financial and professional
support, while allowing participating business units to adjust their workforce in response to changing requirements.
Coleman said the programme would not apply uniformly across the company. Participation will depend on individual business priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs. Eligible employees will receive emails outlining the specific terms of their offers.
"The Voluntary Exit Offer is new for us. We'll learn from it," Coleman said, adding that Microsoft would continue supporting employees through skills development and internal career opportunities where appropriate.
Separately, a Microsoft spokesperson said the company remained committed to expanding its presence in India's technology ecosystem and supporting the country's artificial intelligence ambitions.
Microsoft has committed $20.5 billion in investment between 2025 and 2029 across cloud and AI infrastructure, skilling and operations in India, the spokesperson said.
The company is also working towards its commitment to equip 20 million people in India with AI skills by 2030.
The voluntary exit programme comes as Microsoft seeks to give participating teams greater flexibility in managing workforce requirements while offering eligible employees a supported route to opportunities beyond the company.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.