Hacker News Reader

Comment by billllll | Hacker News Reader

Netflix emphasizes "team" over "family" to explicitly promote an environment where getting fired is easy. Is that really a better alternative?

Whether it is a "family" or a "team," you can be assured that the company will be looking out for itself first and foremost, potentially to the detriment of the employees. I don't think that's necessarily bad, but you as an individual need to watch out for yourself no matter what rhetoric the company uses.

View on HN

> Netflix emphasizes "team" over "family" to explicitly promote an environment where getting fired is easy. Is that really a better alternative?

Considering the same labour laws apply to Airbnb and Netflix, yes it's a far more honest approach. Not admirable, not right or fair, but a lot less manipulative.

The problem is not 'bottom line' versus 'family', the problem is when the company is bullshitting you. When it expects you to treat them like 'family', but treat you as 'bottom line'.

If Netflix wants to fire half their engineering team every year, that's fine, as long as everyone walks into the arrangement with the mindset of a contractor, or a mercenary who's only there for the paycheque.

In my ideal world, firing employees would be easy, common, and not catastrophic for the employee. Of course, this requires a strong social safety net to make sure people can go a few months between jobs without losing their home, healthcare, etc.

Netflix pays well, has a generous severance package, and is honest about its culture. I think there is nothing wrong with them making it easy to fire.

Bad for visa holders

Reply on news.ycombinator.com