The rumors of massive layoffs at Microsoft were true: the company has announced plans to let go roughly 18,000 employees, even more than anticipated.
Destiny Beta Out Soon, Here's What To Expect
CEO Satya Nadella posted a letter that was recently sent to employee's on Microsoft's website, outlining the plans to "evolve" the company's organization and structure. Most of those cut, around 12,500, would be employees brought in from the Nokia acquisition.
"The first step to building the right organization for our ambitions is to realign our workforce," Nadella said to employees. "With this in mind, we will begin to reduce the size of our overall workforce by up to 18,000 jobs in the next year.
Samsung Launches High-End, Stylish Headphone Line 'Level'
"Of that total, our work toward synergies and strategic alignment on Nokia Devices and Services is expected to account for about 12,500 jobs, comprising both professional and factory workers. We are moving now to start reducing the first 13,000 positions, and the vast majority of employees whose jobs will be eliminated will be notified over the next six months."
Nadella goes on to explain that while roles will be eliminated, new ones will also be created within the company as it attempts to refocus. In his first mission statement recently, the CEO outlined his aim to focus on mobile and cloud-computing services. These cuts will help streamline the company to that aim, in theory, and they want to make the transition for the many employees that will be losing their jobs as easy as possible.
"It's important to note that while we are eliminating roles in some areas, we are adding roles in certain other strategic areas. My promise to you is that we will go through this process in the most thoughtful and transparent way possible. We will offer severance to all employees impacted by these changes, as well as job transition help in many locations, and everyone can expect to be treated with the respect they deserve for their contributions to this company."
