Ouch

Time Inc has asked employees of its news departments at People, Sports Illustrated, Time, and other magazines to volunteer for layoff packages. And if they don't? According to the Times article:

In memorandums to the magazine staffs, managers made it clear that if the number of volunteers was not sufficient by the end of this month, layoffs would follow.

What's the point? Why not lay off who you're going to lay off, rather than create the toxic culture that results by asking your employees to self-select their own end...or else? Lots of companies have voluntary severance, but not with the freaking ax about to drop otherwise! Can you imagine the speculation? It's like vote-counting, looking around, adding to see if enough people have taken the bait. I can just hear the cutthroat conversations, dripping with complex subtexts:

Yeah, Rachel, you know what - you should go! You'll be happier getting out of here, don't you think? I do. Living with your parents might be a great opportunity to get to know them all over again, you know?

Ironically, those who leave with some kind of lurking semi-state of a clear conscience (perhaps it's just the knowledge of having avoiding being trapped in lamehood) may have a happier road ahead.

Stay and you're like the Milford subjects or the Stanford student guards, assured that what you're doing - in helping your peers choose to go - is what the authority wants. Well, that's gotta feel terrific! Phew, I made it! Now, let's go take some great photographs!

Ugh. Bad all around. The picture is Milgram's most famous set-up, from wikipedia.