Geekwire.com : Microsoft is offering a one-time voluntary retirement program for the first time in its 51-year history, giving thousands of long-serving U.S. employees a chance to leave with a financial payout and extended healthcare as it works to control costs amid a massive buildup in AI infrastructure. An estimated 7% of Microsoft’s 125,000-person U.S. workforce, or about 8,750 employees, would be eligible based on a formula that takes into account their years at the company and their age. It’s a highly unusual move in the tech world. Voluntary retirement programs are common in older industries, such as telecom and manufacturing, but the largest tech companies have instead turned to layoffs, stricter performance reviews, and return-to-office policies to thin their ranks.

SOURCE: GEEKWIRE