Microsoft, the American multinational technology giant, has announced plans to lay off approximately 6,000 employees, representing about 3 percent of its global workforce.

The company, which employed 228,000 people as of June 2024, disclosed the development in a report on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Microsoft stated that the layoffs are part of a strategic restructuring effort.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,” the spokesperson said.

“One objective is to reduce layers of management. These new job cuts are not related to performance.”

The announcement follows the company’s decision to officially shut down Skype, a pioneering video and messaging platform that had been operational for over two decades. Microsoft had previously informed users of the discontinuation on February 28, advising them to switch to Microsoft Teams to preserve their contacts and chat history.

Skype, in confirming the shutdown, acknowledged the impact of the decision:

“It’s the end of an era for the platform that connected people globally for nearly 22 years.”

Microsoft stated that users would have until January 2026 to transition or migrate their data before permanent deletion, emphasizing that the move is aligned with the company’s goal of streamlining communication tools.

This wave of layoffs comes nearly a year after Microsoft announced a reduction of 10,000 jobs — about 5 percent of its workforce — in response to “macroeconomic conditions and changing customer priorities.” The recent job cuts reflect the company’s continued adaptation to a rapidly evolving market environment. (AriseNews TV)