Microsoft has reportedly begun laying off employees in several key divisions, including security, sales, gaming, and devices.
Business Insider reports that Microsoft, the tech giant known for its increasingly common security breaches and intimate relationship with China, is undergoing a round of layoffs that span multiple departments within the company. According to two people familiar with the matter, the job cuts are impacting teams in the security, experiences and devices, sales, and gaming divisions.
A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed that the layoffs were small in scale but did not provide specific numbers. The spokesperson also emphasized that these layoffs are separate from the recent job cuts targeting underperforming employees across the company.
One of the individuals with knowledge of the situation revealed that employees in Microsoft’s security unit began receiving notifications about the layoffs on Tuesday. The security division is led by Charlie Bell, a former top cloud executive at Amazon who made a surprising move to Microsoft in 2021 to spearhead a revamped cybersecurity effort.
Microsoft has been placing a strong emphasis on security in recent years, particularly after facing a series of security issues, including what the Department of Homeland Security described as “a cascade of security failures” that allowed Chinese hackers to access emails from thousands of customers. In response, the company expanded its Secure Future Initiative last year, making security the top priority for all employees. The initiative was reinforced by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in an email to employees, stating, “If you’re faced with the tradeoff between security and another priority, your answer is clear: Do security.”
The layoffs in the security division raise questions about the company’s ongoing commitment to prioritizing security and addressing past vulnerabilities. It remains to be seen how these job cuts will impact Microsoft’s overall security strategy and its ability to deliver on the promises made through the Secure Future Initiative.
In addition to the security team, the layoffs are also affecting employees in the experiences and devices, sales, and gaming divisions. These departments play crucial roles in Microsoft’s product development, customer relationships, and entertainment offerings. The extent of the impact on these teams and the specific roles affected have not been disclosed.
Read more at Business Insider here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
