In a surprising yet increasingly common move, Microsoft has quietly dismantled its team dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
The decision, communicated via email to the affected employees on July 1, cited “changing business needs” as the reason for the layoffs. While the exact number of employees impacted remains unclear, the team’s lead didn’t hold back in criticizing the company’s retreat from DEI initiatives.
“True systems-change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020,” wrote the team leader, reflecting on the post-George Floyd era when numerous companies, including Microsoft, made bold commitments to improve diversity.
Following Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer and the subsequent rise of the Black Lives Matter movement during America’s racial reckoning, Microsoft pledged $150 million to DEI efforts. At the time of this decision, Microsoft was aiming to double the number of Black and African-American leaders within the company by 2025.
However, Microsoft is now part of a growing list of corporations pulling back from their DEI promises. Other tech giants like Zoom, Google, and Meta also cut DEI programs in 2022, leading to a 44% drop in DEI-related job postings by mid-2023 compared to the previous year, according to the New York Post.
This trend isn’t only confined to just the tech industry. Earlier this month, Tractor Supply Co.’s CEO faced backlash from the National Black Farmers Association for slashing corporate diversity and climate advocacy efforts.
CNN, too, disbanded its award-winning DEI department, although affected employees were reportedly reassigned to other newsroom areas.
Despite these cuts, Microsoft maintains that its commitment to diversity and inclusion remains steadfast. “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,” said Jeff Jones, a Microsoft spokesperson.
Microsoft’s 2023 “Diversity & Inclusion Report” showed some progress, with Black employees making up 6.7% of its global workforce—an increase of 2.2% since 2019. Hispanic employees, representing slightly more with only 8%.
The timing of these layoffs aligns with Microsoft’s usual practice of workforce cuts at the end of its fiscal year. Earlier in 2023, the company projected layoffs affecting about 10,000 employees, with additional rounds of cuts occurring since then.
As major corporations continue to ditch their DEI strategies, the dismantling of such initiatives at these major corporations raises critical questions about the future of workplace diversity and the true extent of these companies’ commitments to inclusivity.
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