As such, it needs subsidiaries present in whatever national markets it chooses to harvest. An example is Microsoft Canada, which it established in 1985.223 Other countries have similar installations, to funnel profits back up to Redmond and to distribute the dividends to the holders of MSFT stock. In April 2019, Microsoft reached a trillion-dollar market cap, becoming the third public U.S. company to be valued at over $1 trillion.

• Two months earlier, in May, Microsoft laid off over 6,000 employees, or 3% of its workforce.
• The Microsoft 365 Copilot app brings together your favorite apps and Copilot in one intuitive platform.
• Microsoft’s job cuts have been linked to its AI ambitions, with an investment of $80 billion announced for 2025.

Microsoft’s job cuts in May and July measured 6,000 and 9,000, respectively. The number of cuts mentioned in filings for June and August was far smaller, but the impact on employees has been consistently harsh. The Redmond job cuts at Microsoft appear targeted at fields like product management, engineering, and legal teams, so they are sufficiently spread out and indicate a desire for additional efficiency. The Castle Hotel is a unique family-owned hotel set in a historic building in the heart of Taunton in Somerset. A simple ethos lies at the heart of everything we do – to offer the warmest of welcomes, give the utmost personal attention and exemplary service to each and every one of our guests.

Brazz

Microsoft’s AI-motivated layoffs may be beneficial for the company’s expense and profit margins, but it is wearing employees down. All layoffs, big or small, affect employees in innumerable ways, from denting morale to cutting their careers short right when economic uncertainties are on the rise. Layoffs don’t just affect the employees who are cut, but they have a similar impact on those who are left behind as well. While downsizing announcements are never easy on employees, the prolonged cuts at the company are particularly harsh, leaving workers to stew in their workplace survivor’s guilt and wonder features of primary market when the company will come for their roles next. Microsoft 365 empowers your organization to organize, and safely store files in OneDrive with intuitive and easy organizational tools.

Vouchers at Brazz

Our plush, extra large, private booths are well located to enjoy the action and can seat between 6 and 10 people. Our breakfast has long been famous for the small touches, such as homemade jams and mueslis. Launched in 1998, Brazz’s mission has always been to seek out the finest local ingredients and to translate them into dishes which highlight the greatness of the West Country. With a role call of acclaimed Head Chefs including Phil Vickery, Richard Guest and Liam Finnegan. Featuring a wide ranging menu, old favourites such as Brazz Fishcakes – which have been present since day one – you’ll also find Quantock Lamb, Brixham Crab and much more. Unlike so many of today’s hotels, The Castle’s rooms are individually designed and decorated.

• The Microsoft layoffs this time are minor, with only around 42 jobs being axed in Redmond.
• Some waves have been large, with more than 6,000 employees let go in May and an additional 9,000 cut in July.
• At the same time, Microsoft has reported stellar earnings, greater than analyst expectations.
• Microsoft 365 empowers your organization to organize, and safely store files in OneDrive with intuitive and easy organizational tools.
• The software maker has also been adding a bunch of AI features to Windows 11 in recent months, including a Copilot Vision tool and an AI-powered Settings agent.

Microsoft Layoffs Announced for the Fifth Month in a Row as Employee Woes Mount

The link between the Microsoft job cuts and the company’s AI investments is clear to see, but the evidence doesn’t soften the blow for employees. Microsoft layoffs, for the fifth month in a row, add to the consistent anxiety that employees are operating under, fearful of what’s to come next. Austin, Texas-based cloud computing giant Oracle, which has an engineering hub in the Seattle area, laid off more than 260 Seattle-area employees this summer as part of companywide cuts. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained the job cuts in a memo to staff released on Microsoft’s corporate blog last month. Nadella acknowledged the discrepancy between Microsoft’s “thriving” financials and his decision to still lay off staff.

They are generous in size for a short stay and offer all that you would expect to find in a four star hotel. Cosy doubles boast smart TVs, USB charger sockets and a desk area so ideal for the working traveller. Unlike so many of today’s hotels, The Castle’s rooms are individually decorated, each varying in size and design. Book direct for the best available rates including Dinner, Bed & Breakfast packages with a meal to remember in our award-winning restaurant, Brazz. Whether you’re in Taunton for school speech day, a day at the cricket or for business, you’ll find each of our 44 bedrooms offers its own personality and comfort away from home. Parts of the stone structure, notably Castle Bow, reach back to the 13th century.

Corporate culture

It has been criticized for its monopolistic practices, and the company’s software has been criticized for problems with ease of use, robustness, and security. Empower your organization with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat that supercharges productivity, sparks creativity, and keeps your data protected with enterprise data protection. I understand that the data I am submitting will be used to provide me with the above-described products and/or services and communications in connection therewith. In 2025, both AT&T and Sweetgreen revised their stances on remote work, with AT&T asking U.S. staff to work all five days from the office while Sweetgreen mandated four days. Both companies previously required staff to work in person three days a week. A return-to-office mandate could impact tens of thousands of Microsoft employees.

During the first few waves of layoffs this year, Microsoft’s enormous financial success was the unmentioned elephant in the room. CEO Satya Nadella addressed that in July, after more than 15,000 employees were let go, acknowledging the “uncertainty and seeming incongruence” between historical success and massive job cuts. In the middle of Microsoft’s waves of layoffs this summer the company reported record quarterly revenue and profits for the final three months of its 2025 fiscal year, which ended June 30. More than 15,000 Microsoft employees companywide have been laid off since May. With Monday’s layoffs, disclosed in a state regulatory filing, the number of Washington-based workers affected has passed 3,200. It also bears mentioning that the drive for efficiency and growth does not appear to stem from a place of combating business struggles.

Unlock productivity, creativity, and generative AI for your organization.

In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II, arrived in Taunton to proclaim himself King on 20th June. One historian noted that “Monmouth’s officers were heard roistering at the Castle Inn” before his defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6th July. It is believed that, towards the end of the 12th century, Henry De Blois built the ‘Keep’ of The Castle – the strongest portion of The Castle’s fortification, and the place of the last resort in case of siege or attack. This structure would prove key to this Castle’s history, as it had a largely defensive function throughout it’s existence and underwent numerous sieges, including during the civil war of 1644. However, The Castle’s role as a defensive structure came to an end in 1662, when orders were issued to destroy.

For the Chapman family, good hospitality is a very personal engagement between host and guest. If Microsoft implements a stricter return-to-office policy, it would join a slew of other companies that have tightened the limits on remote work recently — or eliminated it altogether. The unified team is meant to support Microsoft’s work on top priorities like AI. We have already seen reports of multiple employee protests at the organization over its business practices and political associations, which suggest the presence of considerable unrest among employees.

Newly renovated, spacious and indulgent with king sized beds, tiled walk-in showers and bathrooms stocked with Bramley products, these rooms have everything you need. With a sofa bed and generous velvet armchairs, they are perfect for family getaways, long stays or couples looking for a romantic break. These rooms can also be booked with the Penthouse for a completely private and exclusive stay. People are what make the difference in any business, particularly one where the warmth of welcome and the personal attention to each guest matters so very much. We have a large team, each of whom play a key role in their different ways.

present: Acquisitions, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows 11

At the same time, Microsoft has reported stellar earnings, greater than analyst expectations. Last month, Microsoft announced that for the quarter ending June 30, revenue was up 18% from the previous year, reaching $76.4 billion, while net income was $27.2 billion, a 24% increase. According to a study conducted last year by Bamboo HR, return-to-office mandates were often layoffs in disguise, designed to pare down a workforce without conducting official job cuts. About a quarter of C-Suite executives surveyed wanted to inspire “voluntary turnover” with stricter return-to-office policies. Since the pandemic, Microsoft has had a flexible work arrangement, allowing remote work as much as half of the time. According to the BI report, Microsoft is considering increasing the requirement for in-person work for employees based in its Redmond, Washington, headquarters to at least three days a week starting in January.

Our friendly Events Team are on hand to assist with any room enquiries, group reservations and to help you choose the best configuration for your needs. Our plush, private booths for 6-10 people are well located to enjoy the action.

In 1998 Brazz was born, a concept which has evolved into the much talked about award-winning restaurant of today. Microsoft recently conducted mass layoffs, eliminating 9,000 roles in July, or nearly 4% of its workforce. Two months earlier, in May, Microsoft laid off over 6,000 employees, or 3% of its workforce. “Embrace, extend, and extinguish” (EEE),338 also known as “embrace, extend, and exterminate,”339 is a phrase that the U.S. Microsoft is frequently accused of using anticompetitive tactics and abusing its monopolistic power. People who use their products and services often end up becoming dependent on them, a process is known as vendor lock-in.