Microsoft Corp (MSFT  ) shares are gaining Monday. The company told roughly 60,000 employees they can take a buyout. Here's what you should know.

Microsoft Offers Buyouts to 60,000 Workers

To cut costs and refit its workforce for the age of AI, Microsoft is asking roughly 60,000 employees to consider leaving with a compensation package.

Bloomberg reported that, to qualify, an employee must work on a selected team in the U.S., Canada, India or the U.K. and sit at vice president level or below, a spokesperson said. Staff in some data center, sales and marketing groups are not included.

Departing workers receive terms much like ordinary severance. In a Monday memo, Chief People Officer Amy Coleman framed the offer as a way for people already eyeing the exit to leave with assistance. For Microsoft's units, she wrote, it's "another way to adapt [the company's] workforce to changing needs."

Cutting staffing costs while spending heavily on AI could support Microsoft's profit margins, and investors may be reacting to that on Monday.

Microsoft Headcount Similar To 2022

Microsoft has trimmed its workforce before. Layoff waves have removed tens of thousands of jobs, and a July retirement-age offer drew more than 30% of the roughly 8,750 people eligible.

Takeup should be much lower this time, the spokesperson said, compared with the retirement program. Microsoft may also step in to keep standout employees who sign up, in some cases.

The workforce numbers show the squeeze. Microsoft's 223,000 employees at the end of June roughly match its 2022 count, the year it started pouring money into AI and data centers.

MSFT Shares Are Climbing

MSFT Price Action: Microsoft shares were up 1.11% at $530.33 at the time of publication on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro.