[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

It probably is left over from November 2008, when they were on the verge of bankruptcy.

That's probably the most likely reason for the recording.

However, just to play Devil's Advocate, why would the message say for employees to "stay with their families."

I would think that a more appropriate message would tell employees to "not report to work."

[2111USMC]

Maybe the recording was intended for their executives in 2008:

Wachovia, which lost $33 billion in the last two quarters, said 10 top executives may be entitled to $98.1 million in severance pay after the bank is acquired by Wells Fargo, Reuters reported.

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/wachovia-execs-may-get-981-million-severance/

[CharlesWayneCT]

I can’t think of any disaster already happened, or which could possibly happen, that would have a company issuing a notice for their employees to ‘stay with their families”, rather than just “do not report to work”.