Satya Nadella addresses layoffs in Microsoft memo

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella put out a memo addressing employees on Thursday amid layoffs at one of the tech industry’s most well-known companies.

This communication comes as the company is undergoing heavy restructuring, a common theme among tech firms as they try to navigate a sector that is not always straightforward in terms of growth. 

“Before anything else, I want to speak to what’s been weighing heavily on me, and what I know many of you are thinking about: the recent job eliminations. These decisions are among the most difficult we have to make. They affect people we’ve worked alongside, learned from, and shared countless moments with—our colleagues, teammates, and friends,” said Nadella in the memo. 

Nadella refers to layoffs initiated at the start of the month as per a report by the Seattle Times with plans to cut 9000 positions, an estimated 4% of the workforce. Updates like this are routine, one notable instance being dating platform Bumble’s move to lay off 30% of its own staff due to a dwindling base of app users. 

The CEO of Microsoft emphasized that change and the process of “learning and unlearning” will be necessary, particularly when it comes to meeting existing customers’ needs while developing new products and services at the same time. 

Microsoft will assess company financials in an earnings conference call on July 30th.