Microsoft cuts some of its DE&I staff

Microsoft quietly laid off some of its DE&I practitioners on July 1, according to Business Insider.

The company reportedly told affected employees the decision was based on “changing business needs.”

In response, one impacted team leader sent an email to thousands of Microsoft employees, alleging the company isn’t invested enough in DE&I.

“True systems change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020,” it wrote, before arguing that all corporate DE&I initiatives are at risk due to conservative political agendas, IGN reported.

Microsoft would not disclose how many employees were impacted by the layoffs.

“As we move forward, our D&I commitments remain unchanged. Our focus on diversity and inclusion is unwavering and we are holding firm on our expectations, prioritizing accountability, and continuing to focus on this work,” Jeff Jones, senior director of communications at Microsoft, told HR Brew in a statement sent via email.

The company has long claimed to be a champion of diversity in tech. It established one of the first Black employee resource groups in the late 1980s, and has launched at least eight more. In 2014, Microsoft announced a diversity and inclusion initiative after CEO Satya Nadella told attendees at the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing that women shouldn’t request raises and instead have faith in “karma.” It has since made progress on the representation of women and Black employees in leadership positions.

Zoom laid off its DE&I team earlier this year, following DE&I cuts at both Meta and Google in 2022, HR Brew previously reported. While it’s unclear what Microsoft’s DE&I initiatives will look like moving forward, some experts predict that more companies will change course on their DE&I strategies.