



Recruiting News Network
Recruiting
News
OperationsThe Recruiting Worx PodcastMoney + InvestmentsCareer AdviceWorld
Tech
DEI
People
People on the Move
The Leaders
The Makers
People
People on the Move
The Leaders
The Makers
Brand +
Marketing
Events
Labor +
Economics
SUBSCRIBE





Workforce Reduction

Microsoft faces backlash over DEI team layoffs amid diversity commitments

July 18, 2024

Workforce Reduction

Microsoft faces backlash over DEI team layoffs amid diversity commitments

July 18, 2024

Photo by Sam Torres on Unsplash

After Microsoft laid off its internal team dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), a team leader criticised the company for insufficiently supporting the initiative.

A team leader stated in an email to thousands of employees, viewed by Business Insider, that “true systems-change work associated with DEI programmes everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020”.

The email mentions that the team was eliminated due to "changing business needs" effective July 1, though the exact number of impacted employees remains unknown.

Following the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and the subsequent historic protests, numerous technology companies, including Microsoft, committed to enhancing their diversity initiatives.

In 2020, Microsoft announced its goal to double the number of leaders of colour in the company by 2025. However, the progress toward this goal is currently unclear.

Tech companies scale back DEI efforts

Despite these commitments, several tech companies seem to be scaling back their diversity efforts. Bloomberg reported that Zoom Video Communications Inc recently laid off a team focused on DEI. CNBC noted that tech giants Google and Meta also reduced their DEI programmes last year.

In an official statement, Microsoft spokesperson Jeff Jones said, “Our D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritising accountability, and continuing to focus on this work.”

Microsoft often reduces its workforce around the start of its new financial year. Recently, layoffs have become more frequent at Microsoft and other tech companies. Last year, Microsoft revealed plans to let go of 10,000 employees in early 2023, and it has implemented further layoffs since then.

Microsoft’s diversity programme

Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Microsoft announced its plan to double the number of managers and senior employees of colour by 2025. The company further said that this initiative complies with civil rights laws.

However, this initiative came under the scanner with the US Labour Department investigating whether the company’s plan is a violation of the Civil Rights Act because it “appears to imply that employment action may be taken on the basis of race.”

Following this, the company, in a blog post, said, “The letter asked us to prove that the actions we are taking to improve opportunities are not illegal race-based decisions.”

Following an executive order issued by the Trump administration, government contractors such as Microsoft were prohibited from providing specific forms of racial sensitivity and other diversity training programmes.

‍

Read full article here

Microsoft has laid off its internal team dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) due to 'changing business needs'

What we're reading

‘We’re all fighting the giant’: Gig workers around the world are finally organizing

by
Peter Guest
-
rest of world

Gig workers are connecting across borders to challenge platforms’ power and policies

Got Zoom fatigue? Out-of-sync brainwaves could be another reason videoconferencing is such a drag

by
Dr. Julie Boland
-
The Conversation

I was curious about why conversation felt more laborious and awkward over Zoom and other video-conferencing software.

How to Purchase an Applicant Tracking System

by
Dave Zielinski
-
SHRM

Experts say the first step in seeking a new ATS should be to evaluate your existing recruiting processes.

View All Articles

Events

Hire Virtue's Hiring Blitz & Job Fair

Houston, TX
-
to
August 6, 2025
View All Events
Related Articles

Amazon Layoffs Come for Goodreads and Kindle Employees Next

Ava Martinez

June 9, 2025

Nursing Shortage Crisis: How to Attract & Retain Nurses in 2025 and Beyond

Michelle Whiffen

June 6, 2025

© 2024 recruiting news network.
all rights reserved.



Categories
Technology
Money
People
TA Ops
Events
Editorial
World
Career Advice
Resources
Diversity & Inclusion
TA Tech Marketplace
Information
AboutContactMedia KitPrivacy Policy
Subscribe to newsletter
