Microsoft's Layoff Tally: More Cuts Than Hydra Has Heads!

A Stark Reality Check

Folks Captain America here. I've seen a lot in my time – Red Skull alien invasions the '80s – but some things still manage to raise an eyebrow. Microsoft a company that seems to have more money than Howard Stark had inventions is laying off around 9,000 employees. Less than 4% of their global workforce they say. Sounds small right? But remember what I always say: 'If you see something say something.' And 9,000 people losing their jobs? That's something.

Fiscal Year Follies

Apparently these reorganizations are a regular occurrence with the start of Microsoft's fiscal year. It's like clockwork only instead of a cuckoo popping out it's pink slips. A spokesperson called them 'organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success.' Success for whom I wonder? Seems like a strange way to show appreciation for those who helped build that success. Remember 'We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.' Laying off people is rarely the right thing.

Deja Vu All Over Again

This isn't a one off. Microsoft's been trimming the fat – or maybe muscle is a better word since these are the folks doing the heavy lifting – all year. January they cut less than 1% based on performance. Then over 6,000 in May and another 300 in June. It's like they're trying to win a competition for 'Most Ruthless Corporate Makeover.' I'm all for efficiency but not at the expense of good people's livelihoods. As my friend Peggy Carter used to say 'Compromise where you can. Where you can't don't. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree look them in the eye and say 'No you move.'

The Ghosts of Nokia Past

And let's not forget the granddaddy of Microsoft layoffs: 18,000 after acquiring Nokia's devices and services business back in 2014. It seems that Microsoft's strategy for integrating companies is less 'harmonious merger' and more 'ruthless downsizing.' They say they're trying to reduce the number of management layers. I understand the need for streamlining but I hope they're also considering the impact on morale. A strong team needs leadership sure but it also needs trust and respect.

Profits Over People?

Now here's the kicker: Microsoft reported nearly $26 billion in net income on $70 billion in revenue for the March quarter. They're raking it in! And they're projecting even more growth thanks to Azure and corporate software subscriptions. The stock is at a record high. It's hard to reconcile those numbers with the image of thousands of people worrying about their next paycheck. 'I can do this all day,' I often say when facing down bad guys but these Microsoft workers? They just want to do this all day *at their jobs*.

The Wider Battlefield

Microsoft isn't alone in this. Autodesk Chegg CrowdStrike – they're all slimming down too. And ADP says the U.S. private sector lost 33,000 jobs in June. It feels like there's a storm brewing in the tech sector. I'm not an economist but I know a thing or two about fighting for what's right. And right now it feels like the average worker is getting the short end of the stick. We need to remember that companies are made up of people not just numbers on a spreadsheet. 'We have to do better,' as T'Challa the Black Panther wisely said.