- Microsoft's latest internal poll shows 65% of workers think working there is a "good deal."
- This is key for assessing work-life balance and compensation satisfaction at the software giant.
- Past low scores led Microsoft to raise pay in 2022 to address employee dissatisfaction.
In Microsoft's latest employee survey, more workers responded positively to a question about whether they're getting a good deal by working there.
A total of 65% of employees agreed with a question stating that "there is a reasonable balance between what I contribute to Microsoft and what I get in return" in the survey from October. That's up three percentage points from the previous survey six months prior, a Microsoft spokesperson said.
Last summer, responses to this question had fallen from 69% to 62% compared to the previous year, according to results viewed by Business Insider.
Microsoft uses this specific question as an important barometer for sentiment about work-life balance and compensation.
In 2022, a low and declining score on this question helped compel Microsoft to raise pay to address growing dissatisfaction with compensation and stop employees from leaving to competitors like Amazon.
Since then, the tech industry has undergone radical changes. Tech stocks plummeted through 2022 as the pandemic boom ended. That prompted an efficiency drive by many companies as investors demanded profitability over growth at all costs. New AI tools may also be denting demand for some tech workers. In 2023, Microsoft froze salaries.
The next survey, scheduled in April, comes after Microsoft cut nearly 2,000 employees deemed low performers.
The company is also revamping its performance review process, another sign that the industry is getting tougher on how it treats employees after a decade or more of mollycoddling talent.
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