Netflix culture memo Red Flags
Is it just me or their culture memo has so many red flags. A few examples: 1) Keep only our highly effective people 2) There’s lots of love and there are demanding peers. 3) This is a good-faith estimate of the highest compensation … combined with what we would pay to *replace them if needed*. 4) We model ourselves on being a professional sports team, not a family. 5) Those who do not pass the keeper test (i.e. their manager would not fight to keep them) are given a generous severance package so we can find someone even better for that position 6) We want employees to stick with Netflix through any short term dips the company may have. 7) Succeeding on a dream team is about being effective, not about working hard. Sustained “B” performance, despite an “A” for effort, gets a severance package with respect. 8) Frankly, we mix work and personal time quite a bit, doing email at odd hours or taking off a weekday afternoon. And more. The above screams red flags to me! Sounds like a PIP factory. Can someone at Netflix confirm?
No it is not. People actually appreciate these things about our culture and thrives on them; I know I do. Highly aligned, aiming at zeroing out processes and politics. Maybe Netflix is just not a company for you?
Zero processes and politics sound great. But a lot of places mention replace/fire. Sounds like a PIP factory, which is not great. Because people will start watching out for themselves instead of helping others.
The cool thing about Netflix is they don’t have mandatory firings every 6 months like many tech companies do. They just trust their managers to implement the keeper test. I know I pass the keeper test on my team with flying colors.
It’s the best place I have ever worked by far, I hope to work here as long as I can continue contributing. We take the culture very seriously and adhere to it. It doesn’t feel like a family, but coworkers are generally all extremely talented and effective. Some people do get let go, and that hurts but severance is generous and they generally find something else very quickly if they want. It’s worth the risk.
How much is the severance?
Generous is a relative term. Most people at Netflix get 4 months.
The culture memo has always rubbed me the wrong way, but I appreciate how forthright they are about it to applicants
Sounds like they have zero compassion. Of course, it’s business but still quite harsh. I have a lot of close friends that started off as coworkers (we hang out outside of work, take trips together). This memo basically says we are straight business, very competitive, and will replace you any moment your performance dips. If someone just became a new parent & struggle for a bit, they won’t care. That’s how I read it.
Yup. You skipped the part about the feedback culture too. It’s an open invitation for people to crap all over each other and make them feel like shit, but “with good intent”. 🙄
Netflix culture is bipolar, and you either love it or hate it. It's there upfront so that only people that love it will join. Stay away if these don't resonate with you, Netflix is not for everyone
They don’t pay you 500k base to be a bum.