Microsoft's 'indiscriminate' firing continues as hundreds more lose livelihoods

In a latest announcement of massive layoffs, technology colossus Microsoft confirmed Monday that is is slashing additional employees, week after the commencement of its 2024 fiscal year, months after the company showed the door thousands of its workers, reported GeekWire.

The recent job axing does not include the massive layoff it announced in January in which it cut at least 10,000 jobs. The Washington-based giant also eliminated a small number of employees last year.

The latest decision comes as other multinational firms and technology behemoths have announced thousands of job cutting including Amazon, Google and Meta citing economic issues and rising business costs. 

Microsoft has said in recent months that clients are looking for ways to save money on their cloud computing bill.

Bill Gates-founded company’s spokesperson declined to tell the number of layoffs. In January, CEO Satya Nadella issued a memo, indicating the company would change its hardware lineup and consolidate leases.

Microsoft filed a notice Monday saying it would cut 276 people in its home state of Washington. Of those, 66 are virtual.

People working in different departments of Microsoft announced on social networks that they lost their jobs.

“Organizational and workforce adjustments are a necessary and regular part of managing our business,” the spokesperson told NBC News.

“We will continue to prioritise and invest in strategic growth areas for our future and in support of our customers and partners.”

Earlier in May, LinkedIn, the world's largest social media platform for professionals, has also announced it was shedding over 700 jobs and shutting down applications in China citing various reasons.

CEO Ryan Roslansky said in a letter to employees that "the decision was made amid shifts in customer behaviour and slower revenue growth."

Meta said in March that it is going to lay off 10,000 additional employees after major job cuts last year.

Tech giants have contributed to a large number of recent layoffs, including 27,000 by Amazon making it the largest in its history. Alphabet has also laid off 12,000 people.

Microsoft — which bought LinkedIn back in 2016 for around $26 billion — announced some 10,000 job cuts in recent months and took a $1.2 billion charge related to the layoffs.