Microsoft, one of the world’s biggest technology companies, has announced a new plan that lets some of its workers leave their jobs by choice. The plan is called the Voluntary Exit Offer, or VEO. It is open to eligible employees in India, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
The company shared the news in a blog post. Workers who want to take the offer have until December 1 to decide, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.
How Many People Can Join?
Around 60,000 employees across the world are eligible for the offer. Microsoft has about 23,000 employees in India. However, the company has not said how many of them can take part.
Not everyone gets this offer. It is only for employees at level 70 and below. Microsoft gives every job a “level,” which shows how senior the person is. Level 70 and below covers many different kinds of jobs. Also, the offer is only for people working in teams that have chosen to join the plan.
Eligible workers will get an email that explains the exact terms of their offer.
What Will Workers Get?
The package is expected to be similar to a normal severance deal. Severance is the money a company pays a worker when they leave. According to the report, employees who accept would receive:
- One month of base salary for every year they have worked at the company
- Health insurance
- Help to find a new career, known as career transition services
For example, a person who has worked at Microsoft for six years could get six months of base salary.
Why Is Microsoft Doing This?
Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, explained the idea in her blog post. She said the offer is only for a limited time. It gives workers more freedom if they are thinking about working somewhere else.
“This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support,” Coleman said. She added that it also gives teams “another way to adapt their workforce to changing needs.”
In simple words, the company says some workers may want a new path, and some teams may need to change the way they are organised. The news also comes as businesses everywhere adjust to artificial intelligence (AI), which is changing how companies work.
Not Every Team Will Be the Same
Microsoft made it clear that the plan will not work the same way everywhere. Each team will decide based on its own goals, its promises to customers, and how many workers it needs.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach for every team or every employee,” Coleman said.
She also admitted that this kind of plan is new for the company. “The Voluntary Exit Offer is new for us. We’ll learn from it,” she said.
Microsoft also said it will keep helping workers learn new skills. Employees can still look for other jobs inside the company where that makes sense.
Microsoft’s Promise to India
A Microsoft spokesperson said the company is still putting a lot of money into India. It has promised to invest $20.5 billion in the country between 2025 and 2029. The money will go to cloud computing, AI systems, skills training, and company operations.
The company also said it is on track to teach 20 million people in India how to use AI by 2030.
“We are also on track to fulfil our commitment of equipping 20 million people across India with AI skills by 2030,” the spokesperson said.
What Happens Next?
Employees who get the offer now have to think carefully. Some may take the money and start something new. Others may decide to stay at Microsoft.
The company is also expected to share its earnings report later this week. This report shows how much money Microsoft made in the past three months. Many people will be watching to see if the company says more about its plans for its workers and for AI.
