159 is 8.4% of X
Equation: Y = P% of X
Solving our equation for X
X = Y/P%
X = 159/8.4%
Converting percent to decimal:
X = 159/8.4\* 100
X = 1892.85714A lot of people just view their job as a thing they do for the compensation. Taking the offer or not is about the opportunities and struggles they'll be facing either way, not their personal feelings about the company.
I really like my current employer, but if they offered half a year of wages as severance I would take the deal without a second thought.
I can't fathom why anyone would refuse such a deal.
It depends on how you assess the risk. If one is certain that within six months they will find a new job that is as good as, or better, than their current job – sure, why not? But some people might come to the conclusion that the risk is too high. Especially if they like the role/team/company.
Switching jobs also carries “transaction costs”. Doing interviews, perhaps LeetCode tests, etc, can be exhausting.
Another factor to weigh in: Many companies do RTO now, so if Automattic offer 100% remote work, that itself is a pretty good selling point.
With these considerations in mind, I can see why some employees will opt to decline the offer.