Microsoft layoffs: Top sales executive Judson Althoff takes sabbatical amid more job cuts | Mint-OxBig News Network

Microsoft’s Chief Commercial Officer Judson Althoff is set to take a two-month sabbatical, reported Bloomberg. This move reportedly comes at a turbulent time for the company, with further job cuts reportedly on the horizon, particularly within its sales division.

According to a company spokesperson, Althoff’s break has been planned to coincide with the conclusion of Microsoft’s fiscal year, which ended on 30 June. “Judson will return to his team in September,” the spokesperson confirmed. The timing of the sabbatical has sparked speculation, as it aligns with an anticipated internal reshuffle across the tech giant’s operations.

Previous reports from Bloomberg suggest that Microsoft is preparing to implement another wave of layoffs within its gaming business, marking the fourth major round of job cuts in the Xbox division in the past 18 months. While Microsoft has yet to issue a public statement, sources familiar with the matter claim that senior Xbox personnel have already been briefed to expect significant redundancies.

The Xbox unit, responsible for consoles, gaming services, and software, has faced mounting pressure to deliver profitability, especially after Microsoft’s high-profile $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard last year. The reported shake-up is part of broader efforts to streamline operations and enhance financial performance within the division.

Industry analysts note that Microsoft often initiates large-scale organisational changes around the end of its financial year, allowing it to enter the new fiscal period with a leaner corporate structure and sharper strategic goals.

While details remain unclear regarding the exact number of roles affected, the looming job cuts have raised fresh concerns over employee morale, particularly in a division already weathered by multiple restructuring phases and studio closures.

This move also follows a major layoff round in May, which saw approximately 6,000 employees, around three per cent of Microsoft’s global workforce, lose their jobs. That round primarily impacted engineering and product development roles, while most customer-facing positions, including those in sales and marketing, remained largely untouched.