Additional meaning of Layoff:
Many synonyms such as downsizing exist, most of which are euphemisms and more abstract descriptions of the process, most of which can also be used for more inclusive processes than that of reducing the number of employees. Downsizing is the "conscious use of permanent personnel reductions in an attempt to improve efficiency and/or effectiveness".
Since the 1980s, downsizing has gained strategic legitimacy. Indeed, recent research on downsizing in the U.S., UK, and Japan suggests that downsizing is being regarded by management as one of the preferred routes to turning around declining organisations, cutting costs, and improving organisational performance, most often as a cost-cutting measure.