Company I used to work for recently went through some downsizing. To their credit they offered about a years pay to anyone who wanted to retire early before any layoffs. This is actually pretty nice and not the source of the issue.
After they sent this out to most staff they got thousands of yeses, when their self inflicted hubris assumed only hundreds would ask.
Their lawyers informed them anyone who said yes must be accommodated due to the ridiculously poorly written communication that left the company open.
Then came the asking people to stay and saying those that chose to stay would be rewarded for their loyalty and offered growth with the missing team members.
My coworker fell for it. They were thanked and praised enormously, for 2 days. Then things went back just like before. No raise, crap hours, treated as a sub human.
(Side note)
Of course since so many people left many holes needed filling. Guess how many of those roles which used to be higher paying suddenly became “lateral move”. Re harder work no more pay. All of them.
After about a year this person had to go in to the hospital for a procedure. While still in the hospital they terminated her.
She stayed almost exactly a year after their begging her to not take the years pay.
Many lessons about loyalty and company trust were learned that day, sadly a year too late.