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Ooh, speaking from experience?

How about telling your employees that "We're too top-heavy and therefore won't be promoting anyone", and the only way to make more money in the company is to move up?

Better still, refer them to an HR drone instead of actually telling them face to face. That way you can hope their ire is directed at an amorphous initiative to cut costs.

Just happened to us this week. Promise of 7-10% bonuses and now we are told we will get little or nothing, communicated by a faceless email.

Needless to say all my good will has gone along with my motivation!

A variant on that...promise new hires large bonuses or options packages. Once they're hired, stall your new employees until they've accomplished what you needed them for, then downsize them.