No employee would know, the executives assured themselves, until the morning the pink slips flew. Until then, industry would continue within nominal specs. Of course, they would only be fooling themselves. There is always a kind of corporate telepathy that precedes a layoff. The very moment the bean-counters seized upon the idea of a reduction in staff, a mysterious tremor would radiate.
People just know.
The rumors would begin to circulate instantly. This would only accelerate the speed of hearsay. And as the higher-ups would become more circumspect, so the writing on the wall would become bolder. Then would come The Fear. Nervous, hunted looks would be surreptitiously swapped at staff meetings.