I'd argue it's actually better to do 25 % at once and then not doing anything like it for ... decades, ideally, but years, realistically.

Spreading it out means employees spend some of their time with an ear to the ground rather than working, and teams have to deal with multiple restructurings, neither of which are good for well-being nor productivity.

But Microsoft has turned layoffs at the end/beginning of the fiscal year into an iPhone-like release schedule. It's so reliable at this point that it's a meme outside the company amongst its customers. I know for a fact each June/July I'm getting a new account team as people are shuffled around, and low performers are shown the door

Even with these buyouts, there will be layoffs next summer. And the summer after that. And the summer after that.

Yeah, but they've been running layoffs (sometimes more than even yearly) since what, 2022? 2023 at the latest.