Winning Bizness Desk

Mumbai. Microsoft is planning to lay off about 9,000 employees, which is its second major round of layoffs this year. In May 2024, the company had already laid off around 6,000 people. This time, the new cuts will affect around 4 percent of the company's total staff. Microsoft says it is making these changes to adjust to the fast-changing technology market.

Job losses continue after last year's downsizing

In 2023, Microsoft had also laid off 10,000 workers. Now, with the 15,000 layoffs in 2024, the total number of job losses in two years has become one of the highest in the company’s history. As of June 2024, Microsoft had around 2.28 lakh employees globally. The company has not said exactly which departments will be most affected, but reports suggest that teams with slow growth or less focus may be impacted.

Company shares doing well despite layoffs

Even after these job cuts, Microsoft’s share value has gone up. Over the past one year, its share price increased by 7 percent. In 2024 alone, the stock has jumped by 17 percent. On July 2, the company’s shares were trading at 491 dollars. This shows that investors still trust the company’s long-term plans.

Other tech companies also cutting jobs

Microsoft is not alone in reducing its workforce. Meta, which owns Facebook and WhatsApp, also laid off around 3,600 employees in January this year. Meta said these layoffs were based on employee performance. This affected about 5 percent of its total workforce. Many tech companies are now cutting jobs after growing rapidly during the pandemic years.

How Microsoft began in 1975

Microsoft was started in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. At that time, most people in the US were still using typewriters. Microsoft was first known for making software for a computer called the Altair 8800. In 1985, it launched its first operating system. Since then, Microsoft has grown into one of the biggest tech companies in the world. Now it is trying to stay strong by adjusting to new challenges, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence and changing business demands.

7 main points

• Microsoft will lay off 9,000 more employees in its second big job cut this year
• In May 2024, Microsoft had already laid off 6,000 workers
• Around 4 percent of the company’s workforce will be affected this time
• Microsoft had laid off 10,000 employees in 2023 as well
• The company currently has 2.28 lakh employees
• Meta also cut 3,600 jobs this year in a similar move
• Microsoft was founded in 1975 and is now adapting to new market needs