By Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Microsoft has announced it is cutting approximately 9,000 jobs worldwide in its second major layoff of 2025, aimed at reducing costs and streamlining operations.
The layoffs, representing about 4% of its global workforce, will affect multiple departments, regions, and levels of seniority. As of June 2024, Microsoft employed 228,000 workers.
A company spokesperson stated that the cuts are part of broader organisational changes to simplify internal processes and reduce management layers.
“We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” the spokesperson said.
The layoffs, first reported by Bloomberg, will impact units such as Microsoft’s sales team and Xbox gaming division. In May 2025, the company laid off around 6,000 staff, primarily in its product and engineering departments.
Microsoft typically restructures its workforce near the end of its fiscal year in June. Its sales and marketing department alone employs about 45,000 people.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Chief Commercial Officer and global sales head, Judson Althoff, is set to begin a two-month sabbatical in July. The company noted that the leave was pre-planned, and Althoff will return in September.
The latest job cuts reflect an ongoing wave of downsizing across the global tech industry in 2025. Google, in April, laid off hundreds of staff in its Platforms and Devices division, affecting Android, Pixel, and Chrome teams, as part of efforts to boost efficiency following a team merger.
According to Layoffs.fyi, over 63,800 tech workers lost their jobs in 2025, with more than 16,000 layoffs in February alone, the highest monthly total in the first quarter.
These figures follow a turbulent 2024, when over 150,000 jobs were cut across 549 tech companies worldwide. Analysts suggest the trend may persist as companies navigate economic uncertainty and increasing investments in artificial intelligence.
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