‘Like Second-Hand Office Chairs’: Ex-Microsoft Employee Slams Deal With Cognizant Which Resulted In Layoff

A former Microsoft employee has taken to Reddit to express frustration and disappointment after the tech giant abruptly sold off the division where they worked to Cognizant, without prior notice or support for the affected staff. The anonymous post, titled “Microsoft dumped us. Cognizant didn’t even pretend to care,” contained a scathing criticism of both the IT giants.

The Reddit user, who admitted they once took pride in being part of Microsoft, described the move as a betrayal. “Worked for Microsoft. Was proud of it. Felt like I had made it somewhere real,” wrote the ex-employee.

The tone quickly shifted as the user detailed how the company “sold off our entire division to Cognizant with zero warning, like we were second-hand office chairs.”

According to the post, once the transfer to Cognizant was completed, Microsoft allegedly “pulled the plug” and ceased assigning any further work to the team. The Redditor claimed that Cognizant, for its part, made no effort to support the transition or integrate the employees into meaningful roles.

“Cognizant didn’t even fake a transition plan. No effort to keep us. No chance to pivot. Just a slow bleed until we were all laid off.”

The former employee didn’t just criticise the handling of the job transition but also raised deeper concerns about the corporate culture behind such decisions.

“They didn’t just kill the job. They killed the trust. The dignity. The belief that effort meant something,” wrote the user.

Although clearly disillusioned, the post ended on a note of personal resilience, framing the experience as an opportunity to seek more meaningful work.

“I wasn’t fired. I was freed. Freed to build something that can’t be sold-off behind closed doors. Freed to stop chasing brands and start chasing meaning.”

The user also acknowledged others affected by abrupt layoffs or corporate shake-ups, stating, “If you’ve been through something similar, I see you. You’re not the disposable one. They are.”

Here’s the full Reddit post:

The laid off Microsoft employee has struck a chord with many Reddit users through his post, sparking responses that echoed frustration with corporate practices.

“Looks like Microsoft found a way to not pay severance,” one user remarked, hinting at what they saw as a strategic move to avoid layoff liabilities.

Another bluntly advised, “Stop looking for meaning and start looking for money.”

A user also warned against emotional investment in work, stating, “Jobs are temporary and transactional... Treat it as what it is.”

Another Redditor, claiming to work for a competitor, added perspective, writing, “Could be a ploy to not pay severance and deal with the layoffs process... Wish our country had actual laws to protect workers. Sorry you’re going through this.”

Overall, the comments underscored rising anxieties in the tech world around job stability, transparency and the personal toll of corporate restructuring.