January 9, 2025 · The Register
Microsoft Starts 2025 With Performance-Based Job Cuts Across Departments
Microsoft began 2025 with a round of performance-based job cuts spanning multiple departments, including its security division, affecting less than 1% of its roughly 228,000 employees. The company confirmed the layoffs but declined to specify an exact number, framing them as part of a focus on 'high-performance talent.' The move echoed a broader industry shift toward managing out lower-rated staff while continuing to invest in AI.