Many necessay choices can be cruel, depending on which side of the fence you are on.

We have laid off people at the store. We didn't want to. We had to. It was either that or we would start bouncing checks.

At my day job, they (we? as I am in manangment) are also reacting to the recession. It's a buyers market for talent. Quietly, we are encouraged to push out the weak performers and replace them with fresh, new blood. If someone quits, the manager looses that position. If someone is fired, then he can hire a replacement. The message is unspoken but clear.