Microsoft is pushing through with its announced layoffs. Hundreds of employees in both Redmond and London will lose their jobs.
The Redmond-based tech company announced last July that it plans to lay off 2,850 employees in 2017. In line with Microsoft's announcement, the Fiscal Times reported of the company's plan to shut down its Skype offices in London.
Roughly 220 jobs will be lost once the London offices get shut down.
"A Microsoft spokesperson with whom I spoke today characterized the London cuts as a consolidation of some engineering positions that affected both Skype and Yammer," writes Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet.
A Microsoft spokesman revealed that the shutdown is part of the company's plan to move its London-based employees to Paddington.
"As part of this effort, Microsoft reviewed some London-based roles and made the decision to unify some engineering positions," says a Microsoft spokesperson. "Microsoft will be entering into a consultation process and offer new opportunities, where possible."
During the past week, Microsoft laid off 300 employees worldwide. Most of the layoffs happened within the state of Washington. Some employees based in Redmond in which Microsoft is headquartered were also reported to have lost their jobs. Some took to social media to air their comments about losing their jobs.
Microsoft's History Of Job Cuts
In July 2014, Microsoft announced that it will cut 18,000 jobs in 2015. Most of the affected employees were those who were part of Nokia prior to its acquisition by Microsoft, which was completed in April 2014. Microsoft then followed up the biggest layoff in the company's history with even more job cuts.
In July 2015, Microsoft revealed its plans to cut an additional 7,400 more employees, most of which were part of its phone hardware business. In February 2016, the company made additional cuts that are outside of the announced 7,400.
Microsoft sold its feature phone business to FIH Mobile Ltd. and HMD Global, Oy back in May 2016 and displaced 4,500 employees in the process. Later in the month, Microsoft announced its plan for another round of job cuts, which involved 1,850 jobs.
Microsoft's Acquisition Of Skype, Yammer And Nokia
Microsoft announced its plans to acquire Nokia in Q3 of 2013. The acquisition, as stated above, was completed in April 2014 and cost Microsoft $7.2 billion.
The company's planned acquisition of Skype was officially disclosed back in May 2011. The deal was finalized and closed by October 2013 in which Microsoft paid $8.5 billion in cash.
The Yammer acquisition happened a year earlier. Microsoft and Yammer entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition in June 2012. The deal, which had Microsoft shell out $1.2 billion, was completed in July 2012.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns | Flickr
