Years ago, the company had a layoff / buyout situation in our department.
If that wasn't bad enough, Hoffman HR brought in aspiring "future execs" to observe the reactions of those getting the bad news.
I can only hope some of those Hitler Youth are still around Hoffman Estates to feel first hand how giving your all to a company turns out.
OP, while I sympathize and don't want to minimize the devastating impact cuts at SHLD have had and will impose on more people, please refrain from the Hitler references. It's really bad form and insensitive.
Companies often have third parties come in and deliver the news to their longtime loyal employees early afternoon around lunch time. Often times it's an expensive high powered firm like McKinsey where a 27 year old MIT or Harvard grad shares the news to someone twice their age, who hasn't actually worked a corporate job or added value.
I mean, it's not "just business", but this is definitely how the business world works.
It's nothing personal, it's just business. If I hear that one more time I'm going to throw up