There is some bad news for former employees of tech giant Microsoft as the company has enforced a new rule, wherein employees dismissed due to underperformance will not be hired for two years, according to a report by Business Insider. The move is in line with a broader industry trend among tech biggies -- including Meta and Amazon -- which have adopted similar policies to improve staff efficiency. New PIP introduced Besides the abovementioned rule, Microsoft has also introduced a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), thereby offering employees to choose between engaging in a structured performance enhancement plan or accepting a voluntary separation package. Staffers opting for the PIP and failing to meet targets will face termination and the subsequent two-year ban. Company's focus The fresh measures are part of Microsoft's efforts to foster a high-performance culture, stressing on accountability and keeping in line with its strategic goals in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services. The company aims to ensure its workforce comprises high-performance individuals capable of driving innovation and maintaining a competitive advantage in the industry. Over 20K employees in India Earlier this year, Microsoft had fired 2,000 employees who were considered underperformers, and started a new performance improvement plan. Microsoft, a global leader in computer software market and based out of Washington in United States, employs over 2,20,000 people around the world. In India, the company has over 20,000 staffers across 10 cities.