Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell • Hacker News Board

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#11

Post by startupdiscuss » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:55 PM UTC

CPLX wrote: post #4

The big question, of course, is does Netflix succeed because of, or in spite of, this policy.

Yes, or is there a version of this policy -- say remove very poor performers from time to time -- that is effective without having to fetishize being "tough"

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#12

Post by hatred » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:55 PM UTC

kakaorka wrote: post #6

objektif wrote: post #5

I guess people still stick around because of the stock price performance.

Isn't Netflix's compensation to employees all cash?

You get the option to invest any portion of your salary in NFLX stock options.

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#13

Post by taneq » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:56 PM UTC

ymlaree wrote: post #3

Netflix is following FB tracks it seems, 1st degrade the user experience, then poor company ethics surface. Soon we'll need food like "humane" labels in tech.. [edit : user not customer]

What did the user experience used to be like, if the current version is 'degraded'? We only just got Netflix but it seems pretty slick and well-thought-out.

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#14

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:56 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#15

Post by detaro » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:57 PM UTC

This article reports on what another publication wrote. The original has a discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18304329

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#16

Post by startupdiscuss » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:57 PM UTC

claydavisss wrote: post #7

I had a Netflix offer this year I declined (yes, people decline Netflix now and then) The salary was eye-popping...$400k. That's just to be a senior developer. There were RSUs on top of this so total comp was probably $500k. That's crazy! I knew if I joined I would be terminated but that didn't bother me...the salary was crazy and apparently the goodbye package is also generous. I suppose it's sort of nuts to know yo…

Questions:

1. How did you know you would be terminated?

2. How long do you estimate you would have lasted before this expected termination?

3. If the expected termination did not bother you, why did you refuse the job?

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#17

Post by shroom » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:58 PM UTC

Stories I’ve hear from friends to my family who worked at Netflix made me cringe. Regular meetings where everyone at the meeting have to do presentations about their own recent work at the company and basically have to present why they should stay instead of the ”other guy” who will be fired. No rest with constant fear of being fired or the alternative if you ”make it” is constant preasure of performaning better than other teams. This breeds a backstabbing culture for sure.

edit spelling

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#18

Post by lifeisstillgood » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 2:59 PM UTC

"""One employee expressed the feeling that they live in fear of being fired every day at an executive meeting. A vice president named Karen Barragan was said to have responded: “Good, because fear drives you.” """

isn't this normal (for contractors?)

i mean it is terrible (armies whose job is to kill people put a pot of effort into avoiding just such feelings)

I do wonder why businesses so easily follow this route.

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#19

Post by smt88 » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 3:01 PM UTC

startupdiscuss wrote: post #11

CPLX wrote: post #4

The big question, of course, is does Netflix succeed because of, or in spite of, this policy.

Yes, or is there a version of this policy -- say remove very poor performers from time to time -- that is effective without having to fetishize being "tough"

The idea of removing the lowest performers, regardless of their ability, is a business idea from I believe the Jack Welch era at GE.

In my management classes at business school, it's taught as a cautionary tale of unintended consequences and bad management. So this policy is a well-explored bad idea from decades ago, and it seems typical of Silicon Valley to arrogant reinvent a wheel without looking at cautionary tales from the past.

Re: Working at Netflix Sounds Like Hell

#20

Post by claydavisss » Sat, Oct 27, 2018, 3:03 PM UTC

startupdiscuss wrote: post #16

claydavisss wrote: post #7

I had a Netflix offer this year I declined (yes, people decline Netflix now and then) The salary was eye-popping...$400k. That's just to be a senior developer. There were RSUs on top of this so total comp was probably $500k. That's crazy! I knew if I joined I would be terminated but that didn't bother me...the salary was crazy and apparently the goodbye package is also generous. I suppose it's sort of nuts to know yo…

Questions: 1. How did you know you would be terminated? 2. How long do you estimate you would have lasted before this expected termination? 3. If the expected termination did not bother you, why did you refuse the job?

1. I just know I couldn't keep up the sprint...I am older with a family.

2. Hopefully long enough to get a good severance package

3. Had another competing offer that had some useful benefits and seemed like a better fit for my skills