Microsoft sheds 800 more jobs

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Microsoft Corp. on Wednesday said it is cutting 800 more jobs in addition to the initial target of 5,000 layoffs the company announced in January.

With the new announcement, the total number of the broad cutbacks, the first major layoffs in the company's history, will be 5,800, Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, was quoted by The Seattle Times as saying.

According to a report on the newspaper's website, Gellos didn't rule out additional cuts ahead as the world's largest software company continually adjusts its business.

"If that means we focus on different businesses or take care of employee headcount issues, we would do that," he said.

In a statement, Microsoft noted that with the elimination of 800 more positions, which will spread across multiple businesses and locations, the company has "completed our reduction plan sooner than we had anticipated 11 months ago."

"At the same time, we continue to hire in priority areas, but also understand that continuing to manage our businesses closely, as we always do, can mean additional headcount adjustments," Microsoft said.