As of June 30, Microsoft employed 228,000 workers, with 125,000 located in the U.S. This the first major Windows reorg since Davuluri was promoted to Windows and Surface chief more than a year ago. The changes mean the leaders of the Windows teams for Core OS, Data Intelligence and Fundamentals, Security, and Engineering Systems all now report up to Davuluri. It also means that most of the engineering work for Windows is now under a single division leader, rather than shared with Microsoft’s Azure teams.
Brazz
Our friendly Events Team is on hand to assist with any room enquiries, or group reservations and to help you choose the best configuration for your needs. You’re taking the first step to arranging the most important day of your life, and here at The Castle Hotel, we never forget that every couple is different. We enjoy getting to know you, and we do everything we can to make the wedding of your dreams a reality. Extend your weekend by taking advantage of our Sunday Special Offer. This includes overnight accommodation, a £35 per person dinner in Brazz, and a hearty full breakfast in the following morning. At night, Brazz really comes to life, so if you’re looking for a venue for a girls night out or boys get together, get your drinks, and booth pre-booked!
Our plush, extra large, private booths are well located to enjoy the action and can seat between 6 and 10 people. Our breakfast has long been famous for the small touches, such as homemade jams and mueslis. Launched in 1998, Brazz’s mission has always been to seek out the finest local ingredients and to translate them into dishes which highlight the greatness of the West Country. With a role call of acclaimed Head Chefs including Phil Vickery, Richard Guest and Liam Finnegan. Featuring a wide ranging menu, old favourites such as Brazz Fishcakes – which have been present since day one – you’ll also find Quantock Lamb, Brixham Crab and much more. Unlike so many of today’s hotels, The Castle’s rooms are individually designed and decorated.
The Castle Hotel
Our friendly Events Team are on hand to assist with any room enquiries, group reservations and to help you choose the best configuration for your needs. Our plush, private booths for 6-10 people are well located to enjoy the action.
Windows chief Pavan Davuluri, who was just promoted to president of Windows and devices earlier this month, shared the changes to Microsoft’s Windows teams in an internal memo. The company is on a streak of layoffs right now, continuing one of the largest runs in its history. Some waves have been large, with more than 6,000 employees let go in May and an additional 9,000 cut in July. From LinkedIn to Xbox, each segment of the company’s business has been affected by layoffs in 2025. Microsoft’s job cuts have been linked to its AI ambitions, with an investment of $80 billion announced for 2025.
Our hotel today
Newly renovated, spacious and indulgent with king sized beds, tiled walk-in showers and bathrooms stocked with Bramley products, these rooms have everything you need. With a sofa bed and generous velvet armchairs, they are perfect for family getaways, long stays or couples looking for a romantic break. These rooms can also be booked features of primary market with the Penthouse for a completely private and exclusive stay. People are what make the difference in any business, particularly one where the warmth of welcome and the personal attention to each guest matters so very much. We have a large team, each of whom play a key role in their different ways.
The tech industry is highly competitive, and prolonged layoffs can deter top talent from joining or staying with Microsoft, despite the trend of layoffs across top-tier organizations. Layoffs are notorious for disrupting organizational culture, particularly at a company like Microsoft, which has historically prided itself on innovation and collaboration. Regular updates, town hall meetings, and clear explanations of the company agenda and strategic direction can help maintain trust to some degree, but the impact is considerable nonetheless. Microsoft’s recent three-day RTO policy came with the assurance that the move was not directed at encouraging headcount reductions. But this becomes harder to believe considering the current climate of Microsoft layoffs for the fifth month in a row. The company has doubled down on how central AI is to its operations, even asking employees to utilize the tool sufficiently if they hope to get an A-plus on their performance reviews.
The layoffs are separate from previous announcements, and the companywide impact was small, according to a Microsoft spokesperson. Seamlessly collaborate and create files with your friends and family. Your files and memories are secure in the cloud with 5GB of storage for free and 1TB with a paid Microsoft 365 subscription. The Microsoft 365 Copilot app brings together your favorite apps and Copilot in one intuitive platform. Keep your business connected from anywhere with chat and cloud collaboration tools.
Corporate culture
Microsoft is laying off 42 Redmond-based employees, continuing a months-long effort by the company to trim its workforce amid an artificial intelligence spending boom. Microsoft’s logo with the tagline “Your potential. Our passion.”—below the main corporate name—is based on a slogan Microsoft used in 2008. Now Nicholas and Annabel Chapman lead the business as it’s third generation. With the support of the team, they are working to revive the hotel after the unexpected challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Among many other things, the enforced closure of the hotel caused a disappointing delay to a planned refurbishment of some bedrooms and the larger public spaces but, overseen by Annabel, work has now re-started. January 2022 saw our iconic Garden & Wisteria Rooms transformed, whilst our main kitchen benefitted from a major investment.
- They painstakingly restored the historic building, later adding a third floor.
- For the Chapman family, good hospitality is a very personal engagement between host and guest.
- Throughout this time, a simple ethos has underpinned us – to give the warmest of welcomes, the utmost personal attention and exemplary service to each and every one of our guests.
- The unified team is meant to support Microsoft’s work on top priorities like AI.
- It also bears mentioning that the drive for efficiency and growth does not appear to stem from a place of combating business struggles.
- It is believed that, towards the end of the 12th century, Henry De Blois built the ‘Keep’ of The Castle – the strongest portion of The Castle’s fortification, and the place of the last resort in case of siege or attack.
In 1685, the Duke of Monmouth, illegitimate son of Charles II, arrived in Taunton to proclaim himself King on 20th June. One historian noted that “Monmouth’s officers were heard roistering at the Castle Inn” before his defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6th July. It is believed that, towards the end of the 12th century, Henry De Blois built the ‘Keep’ of The Castle – the strongest portion of The Castle’s fortification, and the place of the last resort in case of siege or attack. This structure would prove key to this Castle’s history, as it had a largely defensive function throughout it’s existence and underwent numerous sieges, including during the civil war of 1644. However, The Castle’s role as a defensive structure came to an end in 1662, when orders were issued to destroy.
The Microsoft Redmond job cuts add up to around 42 workers, but this brings the number of cuts among Washington-based employees to over 3,200, and the total number of employees affected by layoffs since May 2025 to over 15,000. Microsoft continues down the warpath, making cuts both big and small across its organization for the fifth month in a row. The Microsoft layoffs this time are minor, with only around 42 jobs being axed in Redmond.
The link between the Microsoft job cuts and the company’s AI investments is clear to see, but the evidence doesn’t soften the blow for employees. Microsoft layoffs, for the fifth month in a row, add to the consistent anxiety that employees are operating under, fearful of what’s to come next. Austin, Texas-based cloud computing giant Oracle, which has an engineering hub in the Seattle area, laid off more than 260 Seattle-area employees this summer as part of companywide cuts. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella explained the job cuts in a memo to staff released on Microsoft’s corporate blog last month. Nadella acknowledged the discrepancy between Microsoft’s “thriving” financials and his decision to still lay off staff.
Vouchers at Brazz
- Microsoft is laying off 42 Redmond-based employees, continuing a months-long effort by the company to trim its workforce amid an artificial intelligence spending boom.
- Our breakfast has long been famous for the small touches, such as homemade jams and mueslis.
- Their son, Kit, returned to the family business in 1976, with a particular drive to build the hotel’s reputation for a great kitchen, while his wife Louise set about transforming the interiors.
- People who use their products and services often end up becoming dependent on them, a process is known as vendor lock-in.
- Both companies previously required staff to work in person three days a week.
- Keep your business connected from anywhere with chat and cloud collaboration tools.
During the first few waves of layoffs this year, Microsoft’s enormous financial success was the unmentioned elephant in the room. CEO Satya Nadella addressed that in July, after more than 15,000 employees were let go, acknowledging the “uncertainty and seeming incongruence” between historical success and massive job cuts. In the middle of Microsoft’s waves of layoffs this summer the company reported record quarterly revenue and profits for the final three months of its 2025 fiscal year, which ended June 30. More than 15,000 Microsoft employees companywide have been laid off since May. With Monday’s layoffs, disclosed in a state regulatory filing, the number of Washington-based workers affected has passed 3,200. It also bears mentioning that the drive for efficiency and growth does not appear to stem from a place of combating business struggles.
They are generous in size for a short stay and offer all that you would expect to find in a four star hotel. Cosy doubles boast smart TVs, USB charger sockets and a desk area so ideal for the working traveller. Unlike so many of today’s hotels, The Castle’s rooms are individually decorated, each varying in size and design. Book direct for the best available rates including Dinner, Bed & Breakfast packages with a meal to remember in our award-winning restaurant, Brazz. Whether you’re in Taunton for school speech day, a day at the cricket or for business, you’ll find each of our 44 bedrooms offers its own personality and comfort away from home. Parts of the stone structure, notably Castle Bow, reach back to the 13th century.