Microsoft to Layoff?

Microsoft is beginning its newest round of layoffs and the technology giant is getting rid of no small amount of staff. The layoffs, which will be today, are coming primarily to the workers in the Central Marketing Group, as well as some of the other marketing groups in the company.  Though it is important to remember that at this point in time that all of the information is rumors.

Thus far the only official word about the layoffs has come from a tweet. In the Twitter feed of Commercial and Communications Sector Lead Maher Al-Khaiyat the following was posted, Microsoft to announce major layoffs today as a result of marketing org restructuring,” Currently, the folks over at Microsoft headquarters are not giving out any statements about the layoffs. So we do not know much about how many employees will be laid off or what exact positions are being cut from the company rosters.

If this round of layoffs is anything like the companies previous round these layoffs will not be small. Some of you may recall that about three years ago the company let go of about 5,000 jobs in order to make ends meet.

Of course, there are not the first rumors to swirl around Microsoft about job losses. The company was rumored to be letting go of staff in 2010. Some of you may remember our earlier coverage but for those of you who did not catch it, here is an excerpt:

“While the company has not yet confirmed a round of layoffs, tech blogs are abuzz with news that Redmond, Washington-based software giant Microsoft is shedding jobs in its Central Marketing Group and Enterprise Partner Group. Microsoft-watchers are taking great interest in the job cuts as Microsoft laid off 5,000 employees last year. The latest round, however, does not appear to be nearly as severe — numbering in the hundreds rather than the thousands.

Microsoft currently employees about 89,000 people worldwide. ”

And they are not the only tech giant to get rid of staff in the recent past. Just last year a serious competitor in the mobile market, Nokia, laid off a large number of its workers. For those of you who missed out that coverage here is an excerpt:

“In a move that has been speculated on for months, Nokia announced today that in order to cut costs by $1.46 billion, it will outsource its Symbian software and cut 4,000 jobs.  Earlier estimates, such as this one, were that 6,000 jobs would be cut.

The cuts come as a result of Nokia reaching an agreement with Microsoft to start using Microsoft’s software on its upcoming phones instead of Nokia’s platform, which is Symbian.

In addition to the 4,000 staff that will be laid off, another 3,000 employees will be transferred to Accenture.  The 7,000 workers that will be affected represents 12 percent of Nokia’s phone unit workforce.

All of the work related to its Symbian software will be done by Accenture.  Future smartphone support will be taken care of by Accenture as well, even when the transition is made to Windows phones. ”