July 17, 2024 Microsoft has laid off its internal team dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), a move that has sparked internal controversy. The decision, attributed to “changing business needs,” has been criticized by the team’s leader in an internal email viewed by Business Insider.
The email, sent to thousands of Microsoft employees, expressed frustration over the company’s diminishing emphasis on DEI efforts, stating that such initiatives are “no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020.” The layoffs took effect on July 1, although the exact number of affected employees remains unclear.
In response, Microsoft spokesperson Jeff Jones asserted that the company’s DEI commitments remain intact, emphasizing, “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.”
This development follows a broader trend in the tech industry. Companies like Zoom, Google, and Meta have also scaled back their DEI programs in recent years. Despite public commitments made in the wake of the George Floyd protests in 2020, including Microsoft’s pledge to double the number of Black leaders by 2025, tangible progress on these promises has been questioned.
As Microsoft typically announces workforce cuts around the end of its fiscal year, this latest round of layoffs is part of a broader pattern of cost-cutting in the tech industry. The company announced plans last year to reduce its workforce by 10,000 employees, a move it has followed with additional layoffs since.
