Netflix says the best thing about working there is also the worst

netflix ceo reed hastings

Netflix invited people to ask their questions about working at the company in a LinkedIn thread.
One person asked about the best and worst things about working at the company.
A spokesperson for Netflix responded that the answer to both is the same: "the freedom to do whatever you think is necessary to move the business forward."
They added that it can be sometimes be tricky to figure out which projects will actually be impactful.

Netflix opened itself up to questions about working at the company in a LinkedIn thread — and people jumped at the opportunity.

At the time of publication, there were more than 1,000 comments on the thread, with questions ranging from "Are Netflix employees allowed to watch Netflix during work hours?" to "What do you look for in an ideal candidate?" Many were curious about what it's actually like to work at the company.

One commenter asked: "What's the best thing about working at Netflix? What about the worst?"

Netflix responded that the answer to both is the same thing. The representative wrote:

"The best thing is the freedom to do whatever you think is necessary to move the business forward," a spokesperson wrote. "The worst thing is that nobody will tell you how to spend your time or what exactly you should be working on (outside of setting larger goals for your role). Determining which projects will truly be impactful is up to you, and sometimes that is really hard."

The company is known for having an unusual culture.

Netflix actively encourages its employees to interview at other companies, the company's former chief talent officer, Patty McCord, told Business Insider. She said this practice helps employees clarify their professional goals, learn how much they're worth, and realize the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

At the same time, Netflix has no problem letting go of employees. The company makes it clear it only keeps those who are "highly effective."

The "culture" section of the company's website reads: "Succeeding on a dream team is about being effective, not about working hard. Sustained 'B' performance, despite an 'A' for effort, gets a respectful generous severance package."

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