Best Microsoft employee opts for Voluntary Exit Plan!

A Microsoft employee who claims to have received the company’s highest performance rating has sparked a lively discussion on workplace forum Blind after saying he plans to accept Microsoft’s voluntary exit package (VEP) and step back from work until his departure.

The employee said he recently discussed the offer with his manager and intends to remain with the company until December 31 while focusing on preparing for interviews and applying for new jobs. His comments come as Microsoft is reportedly offering voluntary separation packages to eligible employees in the US, India, the UK and Canada as part of a wider workforce restructuring effort.

‘I received a 200/200’

In the Blind post, the employee described his conversation with his manager about whether he should accept the voluntary exit offer.

“I asked him if he thinks I should take this offer. Mind you I received a 200/200. I told him I might get targeted by layoffs,” the employee wrote.

He said his manager advised him to accept the package. The employee then claimed he told his manager: “Don't assign me anything important because I won't be doing anything from now until I exit on December 31st.”

He also questioned why he should take on additional responsibilities, including on-call duties, when he believes his future at the company is already decided.

"Why should I do an on call shift or anything when my future is done? I'm going to get those extra couple of months as additional paid severance by not doing anything but interview prep and applications," the Microsoft employee asked.

The reference to a "200/200" performance score drew attention because it is understood by Microsoft employees to represent the company's highest performance rating. His decision therefore highlights the uncertainty some workers may feel even after receiving strong performance evaluations.

Why the post resonated with workers

Several Blind users said voluntary exit programmes can sometimes be viewed as an early indication of wider workforce reductions.

"The people who reported bad results after staying through VRP (or worse, termination) should be thinking really hard about staying through this one, it's pretty clearly 'voluntary' in name only," one user wrote.

Another commenter recalled a similar experience at their company. "My company did this, tried to offer us buyouts before layoffs. Turned out there was literally no difference in taking it or not, other than you could choose your end date within a certain window," the person wrote.

Some comments focused on the broader relationship between employees and large corporations.

"I think we are seeing the end of corporate America as an operating structure. It was based on loyalty, trust and respect but all of that is gone," one comment read.

Personal experiences add to the concern

The discussion also prompted users to share difficult experiences involving layoffs. One Threads user said a close friend had been laid off by Microsoft during the pandemic and had struggled to rebuild her career and financial stability.

"My best friend of 20 years got laid off from Microsoft during covid. She never recovered from it...

She's since gone bankrupt and can't seem to find work at all," the Threads user said. "We've all tried to help her but she ended up so depressed she moved back home during 2020 and when I moved summer 2021, radio silence from her."

The debate comes amid reports that Microsoft has expanded voluntary separation offers to tens of thousands of employees across several countries. Earlier social media posts also showed employees reacting with surprise after finding voluntary exit offers in their internal rewards portals.

One employee previously wrote that their "heart sank" after seeing the offer, describing it as an unexpected signal about the company's future plans.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kahekashan

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Kahekashan is a passionate technophile with a keen eye for cutting-edge gadgets, emerging technologies, and everything in the digital realm. Raised in a Defence family with strong values and a background in literature, she has consistently pursued excellence in every endeavour. Her last full-time assignment involved content writing with the Indian School of Business.

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