Hit hardest in Microsoft layoffs? Developers, product managers, morale

Microsoft announced it was letting go of more than 6,000 employees companywide. In Washington state, Microsoft laid off 1,985 workers. A Microsoft spokesperson said the layoffs weren’t performance-based but rather part of an overall strategy to streamline the corporate ranks and flatten management. Microsoft’s push for what it calls nimble teams ispart of an industry trend, as tech companies increase spending on artificial intelligence and restructure entire divisions. Some said they’ve felt a shift over the past year, with more pressure to incorporate AI into their role rather than view it as a helpful tool. The trend is copying the wider industry trend of copying the developer-to-product manager ratio, an executive said in an internal memo that was seen by The Seattle Times. The company will not be hiring for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, and attrition for attrition will begin in July, the spokesperson said. The layoffs hit software engineers the most, with 817 roles eliminated in Washington.

Source: Seattletimes.com  |  Read full article