Microsoft asks partners to take on sales staff chopped from Reading HQ

Around 50 people working at TVP in Reading asked to relocate to Dublin or risk redundancy

Microsoft has asked three of its biggest UK partners to consider taking on around 50 people it is getting rid of from its Reading HQ.

Sources tell CRN that around 50 sales staff - less than 20 of which are full-time Microsoft staff, the rest contractors - have been asked to relocate to Dublin, or they will be made redundant.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced 600 new jobs will be created in the Irish city this year - most of which will be inside sales people. It is understood the batch chopped from Reading will contribute to this number.

As a contingency, Microsoft has asked three of its largest partners - Bytes, Softcat and Insight - if they would consider taking on the Reading-based staff it wants to relocate or make redundant.

Each of the trio of firms have a presence in the London and Reading area - Bytes has a Surrey base, Softcat has branches in Marlow and London, and Insight has a facility in Uxbridge.

A source which spoke to CRN said that the move does not appear to be a cost-cutting measure, but will rather streamline the vendor's go-to-market approach. They added that the Microsoft workers in question would unlikely struggle to find work among the reseller trio as Microsoft expertise is sought after.