{"id":731267,"date":"2026-06-04T01:25:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T22:25:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T01:25:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T22:25:13","slug":"microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft omits key pay question from employee survey results"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d21759ab11\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2d21759ab11\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/#TLDR\" >TL;DR<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/#The_official_explanation\" >The official explanation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/#A_survey_that_doesnt_match_the_room\" >A survey that doesn\u2019t match the room<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/microsoft-omits-key-pay-question-from-employee-survey-results\/#The_compensation_question_Microsoft_would_rather_not_answer\" >The compensation question Microsoft would rather not answer<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.thenextweb.com\/2026\/04\/microsoft-voluntary-retirement-us-workers-ai.avif\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n<p><em><\/p>\n<div class=\"postContent-tldr\">\n<h4 class=\"postContent-offsetTitle\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"TLDR\"><\/span>TL;DR<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Microsoft excluded its long-running \u201cgood deal\u201d compensation question from the main results of its latest employee survey. Workers are questioning the decision on internal forums, with some noting a disconnect between positive survey data and widespread internal dissent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/em><\/p>\n<p>For years, one question in Microsoft\u2019s internal employee survey served as a reliable pressure gauge. It asked whether staff felt they were getting a \u201c<em>good deal at Microsof<\/em>t,\u201d defined as \u201c<em>a reasonable balance between what I contribute to Microsoft and what I get in return.<\/em>\u201d When the scores dropped low enough, the company\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/microsoft-considering-significant-pay-raises-employee-survey-2022-5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">responded with significant pay rises<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When Microsoft released the results of its latest employee sentiment surveys, that question was nowhere to be found in the main report. Nor, employees noted, was a question about confidence in company leadership. Workers took to an internal message board to ask why,\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/microsoft-employee-survey-compensation-question-omitted-2026-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to Business Insider<\/a>, which viewed copies of the comments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>Can you please provide clarity on whether or not the question has been removed and why,<\/em>\u201d one employee wrote in a post that attracted more than 200 thumbs-up reactions. Another replied with a meme from\u00a0A Few Good Men: \u201c<em>You can\u2019t handle the truth!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_official_explanation\"><\/span>The official explanation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper channel-cta\">\n<div class=\"ica-text\">\n<p class=\"ica-text__title\">TNW City Coworking space &#8211; Where your best work h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ens<\/p>\n<p>A workspace designed for growth, collaboration, and endless networking opportunities in the heart of tech.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>A Microsoft employee whose title is \u201c<em>Head of Employee Listening<\/em>\u201d responded on the internal forum that the questions had not been removed. They were simply being asked in different surveys, sent to subsets of employees, \u201c<em>so we can cover more topics without increasing survey length,<\/em>\u201d\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/microsoft-employee-survey-compensation-question-omitted-2026-6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to the response<\/a>\u00a0confirmed by Microsoft.<\/p>\n<p>The explanation did not land well. The \u201c<em>good deal<\/em>\u201d question had historically been reported as a headline metric. Burying it in a subset survey, regardless of the methodological rationale, removes the one number that the entire company could point to when compensation felt inadequate.<\/p>\n<p>That number has a track record. In 2022, after low and declining scores on the question,\u00a0Microsoft announced company-wide pay rises\u00a0and increased stock awards. By 2023, the mood had shifted: the company\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shrm.org\/topics-tools\/news\/benefits-compensation\/microsoft-skipping-pay-raises-year-will-others-follow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">froze salaries<\/a>, cut 10,000 jobs, and redirected resources toward AI.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_survey_that_doesnt_match_the_room\"><\/span>A survey that doesn\u2019t match the room<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The broader survey results, drawn from 71% of employees and roughly 265,000 comments, painted a mostly positive picture. Employees reported feeling included in their teams, energised about their work, and aligned with Microsoft\u2019s culture. The strongest-scoring item, at 88, was \u201cI prioritise addressing security challenges in my role,\u201d\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrgrapevine.com\/us\/content\/article\/2026-06-02-microsoft-employees-report-stronger-engagement-but-weaker-manager-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to HR Grapevine<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But some employees said the results did not match what they were seeing elsewhere inside the company. \u201c<em>It seems like employees essentially have zero concerns about the company<\/em>,\u201d one wrote in a comment with more than 70 thumbs-up reactions, \u201c<em>but in every single public forum, AMA, petition, etc., thousands of employees are raising concerns about Microsoft\u2019s contracts with the Israeli military, ICE, US military, and so on<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The disconnect between survey data and lived experience is not unique to Microsoft. But at a company that has spent the past year\u00a0offering voluntary retirement to 7% of its US workforce, tightening performance expectations, and\u00a0pouring tens of billions into AI infrastructure, the gap feels especially pointed.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_compensation_question_Microsoft_would_rather_not_answer\"><\/span>The compensation question Microsoft would rather not answer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Under CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has committed more than $80 billion to AI data centres and compute capacity. It spent $37.5 billion in capital expenditure in a single quarter. Nadella has described the company\u2019s 220,000-plus headcount as a \u201cmassive disadvantage\u201d in the AI race.<\/p>\n<p>That framing tells employees something specific about where they sit in the company\u2019s priorities. When the one survey question designed to measure whether workers feel fairly compensated is no longer reported to the full company, the message is hard to misread.<\/p>\n<p>Across the tech industry, the pattern is the same: record revenues, record AI spending, and a workforce being asked to do more with less certainty about what it gets in return. Microsoft may still be asking the \u201c<em>good deal<\/em>\u201d question somewhere, in some survey, to some subset of employees. But by removing it from the results everyone sees,\u00a0it has answered it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/microsoft-dropped-the-one-survey-question-its-employees-actually-cared-about\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TL;DR Microsoft excluded its long-running \u201cgood deal\u201d compensation question from the main results of its latest employee survey. Workers are questioning the decision on internal forums, with some noting a disconnect between positive survey data and widespread internal dissent. For years, one question in Microsoft\u2019s internal employee survey served as a reliable pressure gauge. It&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":731268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.thenextweb.com\/2026\/04\/microsoft-voluntary-retirement-us-workers-ai.avif","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-731267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=731267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/731268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=731267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=731267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=731267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}