Microsoft's chief people officer Amy Coleman has informed employees that the company is committed to greater transparency as staff navigate what she described as 'intense and exciting change.' In an internal memo viewed by Business Insider, Coleman outlined both encouraging signals and areas of concern from Microsoft's latest employee surveys.
Employee Signals Survey Highlights
According to the twice-yearly Employee Signals survey, Microsoft employees reported feeling more 'energized' and 'empowered' to do meaningful work. The company's 'Thriving score' rose three points to 79. Employees also highlighted strengths such as prioritizing security challenges (88% favorable), feeling included on teams (86%), and teams reflecting Microsoft's culture (86%).
However, the survey revealed challenges. Employees expressed lower satisfaction with opportunities to broaden experience (79%), productivity support in today's work environment (80%), and clarity on how their work connects to organizational objectives (81%).
Feedback from Managers and Leaders
In a separate Manager and Leader Signals survey, confidence in managers remained strong at 85%. Staff praised managers for embracing new challenges (86%) and creating inclusive environments (86%). However, coaching, feedback, and motivation scored lower: only 76% felt managers coached them effectively (down 5 points), while clear feedback (79%) and motivation (82%) also declined.
Message from Amy Coleman
In the internal memo, Coleman acknowledged the mixed results and wrote: 'While much of this feedback is encouraging, I also know we are in a time of intense and exciting change. Many of you shared feelings of uncertainty and pressure as the work evolves. The leadership team and I hear that, and we're committed to being more transparent, communicating more frequently, and giving context wherever we can.'
Additionally, she thanked the 71% of employees who participated, noting nearly 265,000 comments were submitted. Coleman emphasized that day-to-day experiences are shaped by managers and leaders, and pledged to keep an 'ongoing, open conversation' about workplace culture and expectations.
Full Memo Excerpt
'My goal is to have an ongoing, open conversation with you about what it's like to work at Microsoft. Today's post is part of that, sharing what we're seeing in our H2 Employee Signals results so we can have a dialogue about what's most important to you. Your day-to-day experience matters, and so much of it is shaped by your manager and leader. At the same time, I want to be transparent about how things are feeling across Microsoft - what's working, where we're making progress, and where we still have more to do.'
Coleman also noted that nearly 368,000 comments in the manager survey recognized strengths in clarity, empowerment, and driving results, while pointing to opportunities around transparency, communication, and career development.
