Microsoft announces a very big news that it has begun second round of (in the worldwide) layoffs which effecting around 9,000 employees. This follows just a few months after an earlier round of job cuts in May, when the tech giant slashed some 6,000 workers — the largest workforce reduction it had made in more than two years.
Released: July 2, 2025 | Location: Redmond, WA
Affected Units: Microsoft Sales Team & Xbox
The layoffs will affect a range of business units at Microsoft, including the global sales team and the company’s corporate arms, as well as its organization focused on the Xbox video game console. The company didn’t reveal the specific number at first, but later said that the job cuts would affect slightly less than 4% of its global work force. for more article like this keep reading blogs at highzones.
The company had 228,000 full-time employees as of June last year, making this layoff about 9,000 employees.
Official Statement of Microsoft layoff
In a statement on Wednesday, Microsoft said:
“We’re still adjusting certain parts of our organisation to help best position the company and teams for success.”
The company stressed that it’s crucial to react to the volatile tech environment, notably now as it increases spending in AI.
Previous Layoffs & Timeline
This round of layoffs is Microsoft’s third so far in 2025. The timeline so far:
May 2025: About 6,000 employees let go worldwide
June 2025: 300 Redmond, WA HQ layoffs for Microsoft
Through May 2025: ~2,000 jobs lost though, Puget Sound-area
July 2025: Approximately 9,000 layoffs around the world announced by the microsoft
Those moves are part of a larger pattern playing out across the tech industry, as companies adjust to market uncertainties and shift their focus to AI, automation, and the leaner run of operations that these tools are ushering in.
The Bigger Picture
Microsoft has been fast and furious in its pivot to AI development and integration: major resources are being reassigned. The cuts, while painful, seem to be part of a broader strategy to preserve a competitive edge in areas such as cloud computing, productivity software and gaming advances.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft’s dual layoffs of 2025 are a harbinger of a cultural change at the company, one with a balance between innovation and bottom line. As one of the world’s biggest tech firms, it’s decisions influence broad industry trends, particularly around adoption of AI, employment reshuffling and business sustainability. for more article like this keep reading blogs at highzones.