As tipped by ChannelNews Staff at Microsoft’s North Ryde, Sydney, HQ, spent the weekend wondering if they’ll experience a pink slip in this week’s pay packet, or the online equivalent. Some may have already got one …

Microsoft late last week confirmed that it is cutting as many as 4000 jobs worldwide, mostly outside the US.

Staff in the sales and marketing areas are expected to be those mainly affected.

While it’s not clear how big the cuts will be in Australia, Microsoft has confirmed that most of the roles to be eliminated will be outside the US – and the hefty presence at North Ryde could well be targeted.

The US company may face more difficult hurdles in its European operations, because under EU legislation, sweeping staff trims require negotiations.

Microsoft’s Seattle HQ said some workers were notified last week as to whether their current job will be affected. Some may be offered other jobs within the company, depending on their skill sets.

An internal e-mail described the “reorganisation” as “an enormous US$4.5 trillion market opportunity” for Microsoft in the coming years.

This is by no means the first time Microsoft has purged its staff. In 2014, 18,000 jobs were eliminated.