Earlier today, TechFlash cited unofficial but reliable sources who claimed that the Redmond-based company would announce additional job cuts this week, with affected employees receiving word today. Word on the street was Microsoft would cut just under 1,000 and sure enough, Microsoft this afternoon confirmed reports, detailing that it would layoff 800 people.
“Earlier this year, we announced that in order to reduce costs, increase efficiency and prioritize our focus areas, we would eliminate approximately 5,000 positions by June 2010. Today, we are eliminating around 800 positions spread across multiple businesses and locations and have completed our reduction plan sooner than we had anticipated 11 months ago. At the same time, we continue to hire in priority areas, but also understand that continuing to manage our businesses closely, as we always do, can mean additional headcount adjustments.”
TechFlash's source said that some portion of the new cuts would serve as the final phase of the company's original plan to cut up to 5,000, a fact that was confirmed by Microsoft this afternoon. However, the tipster went on to say that the new layoffs were also expected to take the company beyond the original plan and Microsoft seems to have left things fairly open ended with it's promise to continue to manage its businesses closely.
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