Copyright republicworld
New Delhi: Layoffs are never easy. But they hit differently when they arrive just as you’re preparing for retirement- when financial plans are drawn, dreams are lined up, and you expect stability after years of hard work. That’s exactly what happened to Joe Friend, a 62-year-old Microsoft veteran, whose two-decade-long journey with the tech giant came to an abrupt end earlier this year.Friend, who served as Director of Product Management and led a team of nine, was among several employees laid off by Microsoft in May. Speaking to the media, he said the experience left him feeling “betrayed.”It feels like a betrayal, and it impacts me financially,” Friend said, recalling the moment he learned he was being let go.For someone who had spent years building products, mentoring teams, and planning his final few working years, the layoff upended more than just a job, it disrupted his retirement plans. “My plan was to figure out what I wanted to do over the next three years,” he explained. “Then all of a sudden, I’m at the doorstep, and I have to make that decision now.”Friend’s story is one of dedication, detours, and loyalty. He first joined Microsoft in 1994, working on Microsoft Word as a lead program manager. In 1997, he moved to Indonesia to work for an international NGO- a bold shift away from the corporate world. By 2003, he was back in the US and rejoined Microsoft, where he remained for 14 years.After a short break in 2017 due to burnout and a stint at Stack Overflow, he returned to Microsoft in 2018, impressed by what he described as a “significant cultural change.”That renewed vigour and enthusiasm, however, didn’t shield him from the company’s latest round of layoffs. Friend was one of 15 people from his group to be dismissed, including four other managers.Microsoft reportedly offered a “comfortable” severance package with pay continuing until mid-July. Today, Friend calls himself “semi-retired”, using his time to mentor a young entrepreneur trying to build a small business.“It’s not about making money,” he said. “It’s about supporting somebody who wants to transform their life.”His story captures a growing unease in the tech world where even long-serving employees aren’t guaranteed stability, and where layoffs have increasingly touched every level, from entry roles to seasoned executives.Read More: Why Is Australia Suing Microsoft? The Full Copilot Controversy Explained
