https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft/microsoft-doubles-salary-budget-to-retain-staff-as-cost-of-living-rises/ Skip to content * Coronavirus * Local News + Traffic Lab + Law & Justice + Local Politics + Education + Education Lab + Eastside + Environment + Health + Data + Mental Health + Project Homeless + Times Watchdog * Business & Tech + Boeing & Aerospace + Amazon + Microsoft + Technology + Real Estate + Economy + Artificial Intelligence * Nation & World + Nation & World Politics + Oddities * Sports + Seahawks + Huskies + Cougars + Mariners + Sounders + Storm + Kraken + High School Sports + On TV/Radio * Entertainment + Movies + Books + Music + Theater + Classical Music + TV/Streaming + Comics + Games & Puzzles + Horoscopes * Life + Food & Drink + Travel & Outdoors + Wellness + Pets + Rant & Rave * Pacific NW Magazine * Homes & Real Estate * Opinion + Editorials + Letters to the Editor + David Horsey + Free Press * Video * Photography * Obituaries + News Obituaries + Paid Obituaries * Newsletters * Print Replica * Today's Paper * Inside The Times * Explore * Jobs * Autos * Newsletters * Log In * Subscribe Microsoft * Coronavirus * Local * Biz * Sports * Entertainment * Life * Homes * Opinion * | * Jobs * Shop * Explore * Boeing & Aerospace * Amazon * Real Estate * Economy * Microsoft * Technology All Sections * Local + Coronavirus + Traffic Lab + Project Homeless + Law & Justice + Local Politics + Education + Education Lab + Eastside + Environment + Northwest + Data + Health + Times Watchdog + Mental Health + Inside The Times + News Obituaries + Photo & Video + Nation & World + Politics + Oddities * Business + Boeing + Amazon + Artificial Intelligence + Microsoft + Technology + Economy + Real Estate * Sports + Seahawks + Huskies + Cougars + Kraken + High Schools + Mariners + Sounders + Snow Sports + Geoff Baker + Matt Calkins + Larry Stone + Bob Condotta + On TV/Radio * Entertainment + Movies + Books + Music + Theater + Classical Music + TV/Streaming + Comics + Games & Puzzles + Horoscopes * Life + Pacific NW Magazine + Food & Drink + Happy Hour + Wellness + Home & Decor + Pets + Rant & Rave + Bethany Jean Clement * Travel + Outdoors + Northwest Hikes + Washington + Oregon + B.C. + Hawaii * Opinion + Editorials + Letters + Op-Eds + David Horsey + Kate Riley + Mark Higgins + Brier Dudley + Jennifer Hemmingsen + Derrick Nunnally + Free Press * Columnists + FYI Guy + Seattle Sketcher + Danny Westneat + Naomi Ishisaka + Jon Talton * Jobs * Autos * Homes Listings * Classifieds * Paid Obituaries * Explore * Sponsored Posts * Seattle Times Store * Contact * FAQs * Subscriber Services * Print Replica * Today's Paper * iOS App * Android App Microsoft * Boeing & Aerospace * Amazon * Real Estate * Economy * Microsoft * Technology Microsoft * Newsletters * Log In * Subscribe * Business * Economy * Microsoft * Technology Microsoft will boost pay and stock compensation to retain employees May 16, 2022 at 12:08 pm Updated May 16, 2022 at 3:37 pm By Dina Bass Bloomberg Microsoft plans to "nearly double" its budget for employee salary increases and boost the range of stock compensation it gives some workers by at least 25%, an effort to retain staff and help people cope with inflation. The move will mainly affect "early to mid-career employees," the software giant said in a statement Monday. "As we approach our annual total rewards process, we are making a significant additional investment this year to compensate our employees globally," the Redmond-based company said. "While we have factored in the impact of inflation and rising cost of living, these changes also recognize our appreciation to our world-class talent who support our mission, culture and customers, and partners." Related More on Microsoft * In Redmond rebuild, Microsoft hopes to ditch 'know-it-all' culture, pivot to 'learn it all' * Microsoft to help cover workers' travel costs for abortions * Shareholder: Amazon's 'astronomical' misuse of customer data could ruin company More In addition to contending with cost-of-living increases and a tight Seattle housing market, Microsoft is locked in a fierce battle for talent with companies like Amazon.com, Google and Facebook owner Meta Platforms, as well as startups. Fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, the metaverse and cloud computing have been especially competitive. Moreover, the pandemic has led many workers to relocate and reconsider employment options. "Time and time again, we see that our talent is in high demand because of the amazing work that you do," Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in a memo that was obtained by Bloomberg. Advertising Microsoft's salary package is composed of base salary, bonus and stock. The changes will apply to a substantial part of the company's workforce, which stood at 181,000 as of June 30, 2021. The stock increase will apply to employees at Level 67 in the company's internal scale, or below, Nadella said. Level 67 is the last tier before an employee is made a company partner, putting them in a higher pay scale. The salary budget increases will vary by country and "the most meaningful increases will be focused where the market demands." The company didn't discuss pay figures, so it's hard to tell what the new compensation levels will translate to in dollar figures. But the Glassdoor website estimates that a new graduate working as a software engineer at Microsoft makes about $163,000. Cross-town rival Amazon.com in February said it would more than doubling the maximum base salary it pays employees to $350,000 from $160,000 to cope with a competitive labor market. Microsoft announced the changes as it nears the end of the fiscal year ending June 30. For the current fiscal year, the company had already put in place higher budgets for promotions and a special stock award meant to "recognize exceptional impact and support retention of our most competitive talent pools," Nadella wrote. Insider reported the company was considering the increases last week. This story was originally published at bloomberg.com. Read it here. Most Read Business Stories * Southwest Airlines proposed a ploy to deceive FAA on Boeing 737 MAX, legal filing alleges * All of those quitters? They're at work * Shareholder: Amazon's 'astronomical' misuse of customer data could ruin company * Microsoft will boost pay and stock compensation to retain employees * Alaska Airlines says flight cancellations to continue through May, ease in June WATCH The Seattle Times does not append comment threads to stories from wire services such as the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post or Bloomberg News. 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