Microsoft lays off more workers, this time from consumer R&D team: Report

Microsoft, which laid off 1 per cent or 1,800 employees in July, has asked around 200 more employees to go, this time from one of its customer-focused R&D projects, the media reported on Wednesday.

According to posts on Microsoft-owned LinkedIn, the recent layoffs have also impacted contracted recruiters across several locations.

A Business Insider report first mentioned that the additional job cuts were concentrated in Microsoft's Modern Life Experiences (MLX) group, which was put together in 2018 with the goal of "winning back consumers".

"Around 200 employees on the Modern Life Experiences team have been told to find another position at the company within 60 days, or take severance," the report claimed.

A company spokesperson declined to provide details to TechCrunch, but "didn't deny that the layoffs had occurred".

The Modern Life Experiences team was focused on "bringing consumer products directly to the people who need them, empowering families to learn, explore and connect in a fun and safe environment."

The MLS team later partnered Microsoft's Family Safety group to build the first version of the Family Safety apps for iOS and Android, according to reports.

In June 2020, the MLX group launched Money in Excel, a template that let users automatically connect bank, credit card, investment, and loan accounts to Excel.

"Money in Excel" is scheduled to shut down on June 30, 2023.

Last month, Satya Nadella-run Microsoft became the first tech giant to lay off employees as part of a "realignment".

The layoffs at Microsoft affected nearly 1 per cent of its 1,80,000-strong workforce across its offices and product divisions.

Microsoft has also slowed hiring in the Windows, Teams and Office groups.

Other tech companies that have either laid off employees or slowed hiring in the current economic downturn include Google, Meta, Oracle, Twitter, Nvidia, Snap, Uber, Spotify, Intel and Salesforce, among others.

--IANS

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