Microsoft is slowing hiring in its Windows, Office, and Teams divisions

• Microsoft is slowing hiring in its Windows, Office, and Teams divisions.
• It joins a raft of tech companies dialing back recruitment as the economy slows.

Microsoft is pulling back on hiring in its Office, Windows, and Teams divisions, becoming the latest tech company to dial back recruitment as fears of recession loom.

Executive Vice President Rajesh Jha sent an email to staff Thursday saying all new hires in the three divisions must be approved by him and his leadership team, a Microsoft spokesperson first told Bloomberg, adding that the policy didn't affect the whole company.

"As Microsoft gets ready for the new fiscal year, it is making sure the right resources are aligned to the right opportunity," a Microsoft spokesperson told Insider.

"Microsoft will continue to grow headcount in the year ahead and it will add additional focus to where those resources go," the spokesperson added.

Microsoft joins a growing number of companies in tech and other industriess instructing managers to be more judicious with hiring.

Facebook is implementing a hiring freeze through the rest of this year. A leaked email seen by Insider showed Amazon is cutting hiring targets, while Uber has instituted a broad hiring freeze.

Microsoft appears to be focusing on employee retention, as the company announced on May 16 it plans to increase staff pay through salary increases and larger stock grants.

Some Microsoft staffers are skeptical the increase will help keep talent at the company, as they believe it doesn't measure up to pay offered by Microsoft's competitor Amazon, which in February doubled its maximum base salary to $350,000.

Microsoft did not immediately respond when contacted by Insider for comment.