Stagnant utilization rates vs. 'operational excellence'

It’s getting laughable at this point. We’re being hammered with mandatory training modules on 'Operational Excellence' and 'Efficiency Optimization' while half the team in my district is sitting in the staging area with absolutely nothing to do. We’re being told to log our hours strictly, but then get questioned why utilization is down. How are we supposed to keep numbers up when the clients aren't greenlighting projects? I have a feeling the next round of cuts is going to be framed as a performance issue, which is total BS. They are looking for any reason to trim the headcount without admitting that the workflow just isn't there right now. Start backing up your personal files and update your resumes, because the narrative they’re setting up is clearly designed to shift the blame onto us when they decide to trim the fat.