Comment by vkou

> What if all the people they wanted to keep accepted while those they didn't want to keep stayed

That's not an outcome they'd like, but it's an outcome they have to accept, in order to not piss off everyone else.

1. For anyone they want to keep who takes them up on the offer, they always have a chance to try to convince those people to not take the buyout offer.

2. If you make the buyout offer conditional to particular individuals, it will sow resentment and division.

It's generally better for the employees and the employer to do this kind of blanket buyout. If they voluntarily hit the reduction targets, nobody needs to be laid off. If they don't, the layoffs will be there, but smaller. If the 'wrong' people want the buyout, there's still a chance to convince them to stay. If they don't want to stay after the convincing, it's probably best for them to go on their way.