Realities of business != random and arbitrary cuts
This sounds like middle management is scrambling to meet budget objectives and they're throwing people out based on financial burden rather than actual performance issues.
Yeah I get that people looking to retire and collect benefits are a significant cost centre, but in that case the company should just make it official policy that minimal benefits are offered (or no benefits at all) instead of pretending they're actually offering an attractive place to work.
We'd love if they do but they absolutely won't as long as they can get away with it. Those are the "realities of business". Fulfilling human needs not directly related to profits is a cost centre, and it always eventually gets reduced as much as it is possible.
Middle management never cuts jobs. I mean, they might do 1 or 2 out of 100. But they never do 20% across the board without a push from above. It's diametrically opposed to their own self-interest (having underlings to justify their position.)
This sounds like middle management is scrambling to meet budget objectives and they're throwing people out based on financial burden rather than actual performance issues.
Yeah I get that people looking to retire and collect benefits are a significant cost centre, but in that case the company should just make it official policy that minimal benefits are offered (or no benefits at all) instead of pretending they're actually offering an attractive place to work.