Employees are an expense to a business. They are an expense a business cannot do without, as they generate income.
An employee who does not contribute significantly to a business, however, is an expense that should be eliminated.
It seems to me that many businesses have used this financial downturn to lay off or fire the people that were not top notch workers. Many found out that the best job security was to do a good job and make yourself a valued employee.
An efficient, streamlined workforce increases profit.