The trend of technology layoffs continues unabated—and Microsoft is the most recent firm to implement substantial reductions.

On Tuesday, Microsoft validated a CNBC report indicating that it will be laying off about 3 percent of its worldwide workforce. With close to 228,000 employees as of June 2024, this results in an estimated 6,000 job losses.

Despite announcing stronger-than-anticipated earnings in its latest quarterly report, Microsoft asserts that the layoffs are part of a larger initiative to streamline operations and cut down on management levels. In a statement to Mashable, a company representative mentioned, “We are continuing to apply organizational changes deemed essential to optimally position the company for success in a changing marketplace.”

This action contributes to a persistent pattern of significant job reductions throughout the tech sector. Earlier this year, Meta dismissed thousands of employees as it shifted focus toward artificial intelligence projects. Last summer, Intel revealed layoffs impacting between 15,000 and 19,000 workers as part of a strategy to save $10 billion by 2025.

Microsoft has also faced workforce cuts before. Just two years ago, in 2023, the company laid off 10,000 employees—almost 5 percent of its entire staff at that time.

As the technology landscape continues to change swiftly, companies are making difficult choices to remain competitive, frequently at the cost of thousands of positions.