There is a spreadsheet, with performance scores, salaries, bonuses, benefits, etc.

Sort the spreadsheet by cost and start chopping from the top, or maybe work up from the bottom. Maybe skip every every other employee. C-level and VPs will give additional guidance, maybe 80% of DEI and HR Staff, 40% of Product, etc.

Once there is a list, it may travel to HR or other managers to check or confirm -- make sure you're not accidently laying off some superstars or key initiative personnel -- and then the list is finalized and notices go out. There may not even be any veto; here's the list, adios amigos.

Source: did IT hiring and firing, was involved w/ this at a a couple F500s -- tho not any recently.