Microsoft is laying off 'under 1,000' workers

According to a report, Microsoft is laying off a lot of people.

It's not clear how many people are being laid off. It is clear that the total is significant since the source said that the newly unemployed will number under 1,000. There have been social media posts by disgruntled employees. The layoffs came as a surprise to Microsoft staffers who said the jobs in the Xbox and military simulation divisions were safe.

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Microsoft slashed about 1 percent of its payroll in July, a move that was downplayed by a CNBC headline as a small percentage.

Microsoft is not the only company laying off employees this year. Many companies have cut staff in an industry-wide trend.

It looks like at least 44,000 people have been laid off in the tech world this year. The company Better, which has cut half its payroll this year, was responsible for about 5000 of the job losses.

Microsoft said in a statement that it evaluates its business priorities on a regular basis and makes structural adjustments accordingly. We will be hiring in key growth areas in the year ahead.