It's a standard business practice to implement a new policy or change by first introducing a much more severe version, then releasing a statement about how you "listened" and roll it back...part way. Which was the whole plan all along...
HR departments do the same thing. Cut or drastically change a benefit; there's an uproar, management "listens" and a few days later announces a revised policy which is still a cut, and the level which they'd planned all along, but now people feel like they had some say in it.
And when HR departments start pulling crap like this, your best X% of people jump ship and the rest of them stop giving whatever amount of craps they already nominally gave.
I honestly don't know which is more damaging but it's the ole 1-2 of company death. Luckily when managers then backfill the holes left by the top-N and things "keep working" they pat themselves on the back and say "see they weren't so important after all!" And then get perplexed when things are going slower at a macro level because everyone is sad and either literally or mentally out the door.
I remember I Fell into this trap when I was 16 and we were on a 3 day school trip. Teachers said we had to be back in the dorm by 11, everyone complained so they said 11:30. It didn't work on 16 year olds back then (except me who was very stupid at that age) and it's pretty obvious it's not tricking people today either. People just don't care enough to be outraged about it that's why this strategy works.
I'd say it's first and foremost a political tool. Pseudo dictators especially love it.
Let's say you're a mayor who needs to increase the price of a public utility by 10%, what do you do? You announce that this price will be increased by 30%. People get furious, protests ensue (sometimes, it's even desirable if riots start) against such an outrageous increase! What to do? You should be as invisible as possible during this turbulent period and let others take all the heat, only to come out at the end announcing that yes, the people have spoken, and as a result the increase will be limited to 10%. Now, the people are happy; it's democracy in action, they have the power! The mayor is happy; he's got his increase happen. Happy ending.
I've seen this done, but I'm not sure if it's the strategy or a panic response. It's possible it drives away customers rather than them feeling "appreciative."
HR departments do the same thing. Cut or drastically change a benefit; there's an uproar, management "listens" and a few days later announces a revised policy which is still a cut, and the level which they'd planned all along, but now people feel like they had some say in it.