While it is common amongst companies to remove some % of lower performing individuals, or housekeeping as you have phrased, it is important to note that there i

While it is common amongst companies to remove some % of lower performing individuals, or housekeeping as you have phrased, it is important to note that there is a distinction between being fired due to performance and being laid off. The former is your fault as the employee, the latter is due to larger business conditions and generally recognized as no immediate fault of your own. In real world terms, you can be personally fired for not doing your job and can be laid off because the company can't afford to keep your plant/office/division running due to outside conditions.