Weak labor market in pandemic? Microsoft’s 2021 employment growth says otherwise.

Even during a global pandemic, Microsoft brought in 23,500 new employees.

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What you need to know

Microsoft brought in 23,500 employees over a one-year period ending in September 2021. That growth is the largest the company has ever had in one year, apart from when Microsoft acquired Nokia in 2014. Microsoft now has almost 190,000 employees worldwide, 57% of which are in the United States.

The figures came alongsideMicrosoft’s quarterly earnings.GeekWirecompiled historical data from Microsoft’s public records over the past decade to provide context of the last year’s employment growth.

Here are some highlights of the employment growth figures:

It’s important to note that Microsoft’s employment figures don’t include contract workers or people from outside vendors. GeekWire notes that these types of employees historically total in the tens of thousands.

Microsoft’s employee growth came during a global pandemic in which many companies had to reduce the number of employees.

The annual figures includeMicrosoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax Media, which owns Bethesda. The numbers do not include theacquisition of AI giant Nuance.

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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.