Microsoft to lay off another 2,100 employees today

[Himanshu Arora]

Microsoft is cutting 2,100 jobs today as part of its previously announced plans to reduce its total workforce by 14 percent, according to a ZDnet report. Of those being laid off, 747 are from the Washington state, while the remaining are based at the company's other locations worldwide.

Back in July, Microsoft said it will cut a total of 18,000 jobs, with 12,500 of those cuts coming from employees the software giant inherited when it acquired Nokia's handset and services business last year.

At that time, CEO Nadella said he wanted the company to slim down so as to become more agile, and move faster. He also said reductions are needed in order to properly integrate the Nokia devices and services teams into the company. The job cuts affect both professional and factory workers.

The layoffs are taking place over multiple phases. In the first phase, the company cut a total of 13,000 jobs in July including former Nokia employees, members of the Operating Systems Group, and other groups across the company. With the additional 2,100 cuts today, there are still 2,900 to go.

The move is expected to result in Microsoft incurring pre-tax charges of $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion over the next four quarters, including $750 million to $800 million for severance and related benefit costs, and $350 million to $800 million of asset-related charges. The company expects the layoff process to be substantially complete by year end, and fully completed by June 30, 2015.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58121-microsoft-to-lay-off-another-2100-employees-today.html

 

[wastedkill]

Reap in Billions and say "we need to lay off employee's were not making enough billions we are $3 billion shy of $10billion...."

 

[Guest]

Reap in Billions and say "we need to lay off employee's were not making enough billions we are $3 billion shy of $10billion...."

Say what you will about Microsoft, but clearly you are not a business man. Yes, it sucks for those getting the boot, but we live in a capitalists world where everything is fair game, even people, but that is exactly why anyone can make it big!

 

[wastedkill]

Reap in Billions and say "we need to lay off employee's were not making enough billions we are $3 billion shy of $10billion...."

Say what you will about Microsoft, but clearly you are not a business man. Yes, it sucks for those getting the boot, but we live in a capitalists world where everything is fair game, even people, but that is exactly why anyone can make it big!

So you're telling me microsoft didn't remove those employee's to increase profit?

 

[Teko03]

Reap in Billions and say "we need to lay off employee's were not making enough billions we are $3 billion shy of $10billion...."

Say what you will about Microsoft, but clearly you are not a business man. Yes, it sucks for those getting the boot, but we live in a capitalists world where everything is fair game, even people, but that is exactly why anyone can make it big!

So you're telling me microsoft didn't remove those employee's to increase profit?

Sure that's a benefit to it all for Microsoft, but with the acquisition and integration of Nokia into Microsoft, redundancy becomes in issue. Redundancy also became an issue with the way Microsoft is attempting to unify its existing internal divisions. Sucks to see it happen, but at the end of the day its a business.

 

[captaincranky]

It just makes me not to want to over think the situation, but rather just simply not buy anything else from M$

The truth of the matter is, when M$ announced they were only going to have one version of Windows across all platforms, most of you here just nodded your heads and thought that was a wonderful idea. Now comes some of the the intended consequences. So, do y'all like what you hear so far?

(But no, I'm not so naive as to assume there isn't a lot of deadwood in those released).

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

Reap in Billions and say "we need to lay off employee's were not making enough billions we are $3 billion shy of $10billion...."

Say what you will about Microsoft, but clearly you are not a business man. Yes, it sucks for those getting the boot, but we live in a capitalists world where everything is fair game, even people, but that is exactly why anyone can make it big!

So you're telling me microsoft didn't remove those employee's to increase profit?

MS pretty much only makes money on Office and Windows (and maybe Xbox?). They're laying people off from their mobile division. When something is so broken it can't be fixed, it gets thrown away... even if that means it's people's jobs. There are people who don't throw away things even when they're too broken to be of any use... they're called hoarders. Any smart business will make the tough decisions.
The people who are leaving aren't going away empty handed I'm sure. They'll have plenty of notice and a nice severance package along with being able to put 'Microsoft' on their resume.

 

[AnonymousSurfer]

It just makes me not to want to over think the situation, but rather just simply not buy anything else from M$

The truth of the matter is, when M$ announced they were only going to have one version of Windows across all platforms, most of you here just nodded your heads and thought that was a wonderful idea. Now comes some of the the intended consequences. So, do y'all like what you hear so far?

(But no, I'm not so naive as to assume there isn't a lot of deadwood in those released).

The Windows OS isn't the reason they are laying off all these people, it's because they are integrating with Nokia which they just bought. As for the nodding our heads part, I think a lot of us were shaking our heads right there with you, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop buying anything from Microsoft. It just means I'll be sticking with my Windows 7 just like I stuck with Windows XP until they finally listen to the rest of us and release an OS worthy of buying. I have no problems with Windows 7, and there isn't anything I can do on Linux or Mac that I can't do (for the most part) on Windows 7.

 

[Snowden]

Irony: Nadella reaps more bonus per laid off employee.

 

[captaincranky]

it's because they are integrating with Nokia which they just bought. As for the nodding our heads part, I think a lot of us were shaking our heads right there with you, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop buying anything from Microsoft. It just means I'll be sticking with my Windows 7 just like I stuck with Windows XP until they finally listen to the rest of us and release an OS worthy of buying. I have no problems with Windows 7, and there isn't anything I can do on Linux or Mac that I can't do (for the most part) on Windows 7.

You're giving us the cleaned up for prime time version of my take on the situation.

As for "sticking with Windows 7", that qualifies, (roughly at least), as not buying anything else from M$. From a personal perspective, I don't need office, and I only buy keyboards from them when Newegg has them at fire sale prices anyway.

I'd kinda like to have one of the new low end Windows tablets. But that would also net me a copy of Windows * something. Which is something that can't be avoided. It isn't going to be anything branded M$, so I guess they'll be able to say, "gotcha", for a few bucks on the OS license fee.

It's kind of fun being a cranky old man who doesn't feel the need to keep up with whatever trend, maker "XXX", decides to fabricate.

M$ has already killed long ago what I considered their most valuable software franchise, "M$ Works". An abbreviated version of office for the home, it sold for about $30.00, and came preloaded on many computers.

Now you get Office or nothing.

I'm not even protesting the layoffs as much as their general business model, the obnoxious Surface ad campaign, Win 8's touch and ugly Metro interface, and so forth.

I'm kinda thinking they got rid of the biggest piece of dead weight when they got rid of Ballmer. This new guy is obnoxious as all hell, but you know exactly where he stands. And that would be, not on the consumer's side.

I would almost swear that M$ will try to float Windows past us on a subscription basis, before they, "give us a new OS that we can live with". But don't mind that, I can be paranoid at times.

 

[tonylukac]

Do you think it's stupidity or wall street destroying all these companies?

 

[captaincranky]

Do you think it's stupidity or wall street destroying all these companies?

To wax Shakespearean, I think that chimney sweeps and major corporations must eventually, all come to dust. As to what hastens that demise, I think it's arrogance and ego, outside forces notwithstanding.

 

[wastedkill]

Microsoft must feel pretty stupid right about now, realizing they bought Nokia and their mobile division still hasn't broke even...

 

[Guest]

I'd kinda like to have one of the new low end Windows tablets. But that would also net me a copy of Windows * something. Which is something that can't be avoided. It isn't going to be anything branded M$, so I guess they'll be able to say, "gotcha", for a few bucks on the OS license fee.

If memory serves, Microsoft dropped the license fee on devices under a certain specification, or it may be they are running the Windows with Bing option which is also free if the manufacturer sets the default search option to Bing. So no, they don't make anything off the OS fee, at least in most cases now.

Microsoft must feel pretty stupid right about now, realizing they bought Nokia and their mobile division still hasn't broke even...

As I said before, you clearly aren't a business man, or maybe you're just a child? If its the latter, then I'll humour you, how exactly does one make money, or try to crack into a market if they don't spend big? Especially the mobile market with all the loyalists sucking up to their favourite brands? If its, the former however, then how you managed to get this far in life with such a narrow view on business is astounding!

 

[wastedkill]

If memory serves, Microsoft dropped the license fee on devices under a certain specification, or it may be they are running the Windows with Bing option which is also free if the manufacturer sets the default search option to Bing. So no, they don't make anything off the OS fee, at least in most cases now.


As I said before, you clearly aren't a business man, or maybe you're just a child? If its the latter, then I'll humour you, how exactly does one make money, or try to crack into a market if they don't spend big? Especially the mobile market with all the loyalists sucking up to their favourite brands? If its, the former however, then how you managed to get this far in life with such a narrow view on business is astounding!

Register an account before your opinion becomes anywhere near valid or are you too scared of the techspot.nsa users, microsoft wouldn't just let that many employees go just so they could have a tiny group concentrating on something it is microsoft after all.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]....As I said before, you clearly aren't a business man, or maybe you're just a child? If its the latter, then I'll humour you, how exactly does one make money, or try to crack into a market if they don't spend big? Especially the mobile market with all the loyalists sucking up to their favourite brands? If its, the former however, then how you managed to get this far in life with such a narrow view on business is astounding!

I'm kind of going to try and answer for the member You're quoting.

So, granted that your business model makes sense. But, M$ has pretty much failed miserably breaking into certain markets. I would cite the "Zune " fiasco, and Windows Phone isn't faring all that much better. So now, they've taken over an already failing company, (Nokia). Hitherto, they've thrown a bunch of money at those, "opportunities", and lost a lot doing it.

Apple seems to have Rasputin's power over its customer base, so they're not likely to switch brand preferences.. And with the less than tepid response to Windows 8, M$ has lost a bunch of "street cred", that would have worked to its advantage breaking into other market arenas..

 

[Guest]

I'm kind of going to try and answer for the member You're quoting.
So, granted that your business model makes sense. But, M$ has pretty much failed miserably breaking into certain markets. I would cite the "Zune " fiasco, and Windows Phone isn't faring all that much better. So now, they've taken over an already failing company, (Nokia). Hitherto, they've thrown a bunch of money at those, "opportunities", and lost a lot doing it.
Apple seems to have Rasputin's power over its customer base, so they're not likely to switch brand preferences.. And with the less than tepid response to Windows 8, M$ has lost a bunch of "street cred", that would have worked to its advantage breaking into other market arenas..

All of which I am very much aware of. Now, if I'm reading you correctly, you are saying they should just cut their loses and stick to what they already have? No matter how I look at that, that is not very enterprising. To not try at all is admitting more defeat than any failed plans could ever do, and when you have the resources that Microsoft has then that's even more of a failure not to at least try create more business, even if that means failing miserably in the off chance of creating something successful. Windows phone is the second coming of the Zune, and by any account a decent product even when compared to an Apple product, and in many ways even better. Nokia is a decent company producing decent high quality products, and that never changed. That's why I stated to the child from before that fighting the end user population mentality shift into distinct polarised factions away from the status quo of yesteryear is a monumental task. In short, people are habitual buyers, as attested to Nokia's years of success, but when the NEW shiny comes out, Apple, everyone loses sight of what's actually important and, like the lemmings do, stream away from older habits. This is people like to be cool like their friends are, so they buy what their friends have, not what's good for them, and it is this issue exactly that Microsoft has to fight. To create the next, so called, shiny one must be prepared to spend big and take gambles. As Thomas Edison once said, through all of his countless failures and far fewer successes, he learned thousands of ways NOT to make a light bulb.

it is microsoft after all

@TheChild: All I derive from your comment is that you are clearly a Microsoft hating brat, and no matter what they do you will find issue with them, like some petulant child. Grow up, read some business news or something to educate yourself.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I wonder which superfluous franchise they're gonna buy now with the spare money after having laid off their employees.

 

[VitalyT]

I've got a new idea for constructing in Minecraft: Reproduction of the world-wide beheading which it took to purchase the game. 2100 losing jobs versus 2.5 billion to a nerd for his matchbox creation. Now talk about evil empires!

 

[captaincranky]

All of which I am very much aware of. Now, if I'm reading you correctly, you are saying they should just cut their loses and stick to what they already have? No matter how I look at that, that is not very enterprising. To not try at all is admitting more defeat than any failed plans could ever do, and when you have the resources that Microsoft has then that's even more of a failure not to at least try create more business, even if that means failing miserably in the off chance of creating something successful.

M$ needs to get their core product, and prime source of income, Windows, fixed and reestablished before they go all 3rd Reich and try to invade Moscow, so to speak. (Hitler failed at that, miserably, BTW).

As for you, you have big dreams, ideas, and opinions. That's all well and good, but here you are, mouthing off as to what M$'s business model should be. "Spend big money", "take big chances", said the man who takes that approach for granted, since he's playing with nothing but very remote and inaccessible, house money.

You will find many, many, like minded people such as yourself, over begging at "Kickstarter". People who swear they know all about how the game is played, but have no real product or their own money to back them up.

In other words, just one more Monday morning quarterback.

If you don't believe me, design a new smart phone, then take your appeal to Kickstarter, and tell everyone , "I need a billion dollar startup stake, so I can challenge Apple's iPhone". When that fails to gain any traction, remember good old captaincranky said, "I told you so".

I'll be at your first , "stockholders meeting", selling, "new and improved unbreakable rope, specifically designed, with lynching in mind".

 

[tonylukac]

To wax Shakespearean, I think that chimney sweeps and major corporations must eventually, all come to dust. As to what hastens that demise, I think it's arrogance and ego, outside forces notwithstanding.

Dust you are and to dust you shall return. You're really water tho.

 

[Guest]

Layoff the top executives first for their wrong management of the company.