Netflix employees must pass the ‘keeper test’ or risk being fired
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Stock
Netflix has what's known as a 'keeper test' and has recently elaborated on what it entails.
The streaming giant is said to have around 13,000 members of staff worldwide and there's an ongoing 'test' they must pass to keep their jobs.
The test isn't a physical writing exam though; it's a theoretical framework used by Netflix managers.
Advert
It's something that the streamer has had for some time which some people have criticized the business for.
Some have questioned whether the test puts too much pressure on employees' performances.
"This approach is reminiscent of the 'up or out' approach of old, creating a highly competitive environment, where high performance is driven by fear of job loss rather than intrinsic motivation to do your best work," one critic penned on LinkedIn.
"When measured on individual performance, team camaraderie is often lost, and along with it, the many benefits of high performance team delivery - replaced by infighting and 'politicking' to keep individual roles secure."
But what is the test, I hear you ask?
In Netflix's newest culture memo, it explains: "We expect leaders to be strong developers of talent. And to ensure they have the right player at every position, we ask them to apply what we call the 'keeper test' — asking 'if X wanted to leave, would I fight to keep them?' Or 'knowing everything I know today, would I hire X again?'"
If the answer to either of these questions is no, then it believes that 'it’s fairer to everyone to part ways quickly'.
According to Business Insider, the test has been tweaked compared to previous years.
Netflix had defined its keeper test as: "If a team member was leaving for a similar role at another company, would the manager try to keep them?"
If the answer was no, then Netflix reportedly said the employee was given a 'generous severance' and let go so that a stronger replacement could be found.
Seemingly the streaming platform has tried to make its infamous test a little less 'scary' in the new memo and have insisted that managers will look at a person's whole record rather than just one instance.
The memo states: "In the abstract, the keeper test can sound scary. In reality, we encourage everyone to speak to their managers about what’s going well and what’s not on a regular basis. This helps avoid surprises.
"Managers also evaluate team members on their whole record, rather than focusing on the mistakes or bets that didn’t pay off. On the Dream Team, you need people who challenge the status quo and try new things. So we stick with employees through short-term bumps."
In an interview, Netflix's co-CEO, Greg Peters, said that the original memo was may have also incorrectly communicated that the company was a 'harsh and maybe cutthroat place' to work for, which he insists it isn't, as per Business Insider.
Elsewhere in the new document, Netflix say it models itself off a professional sports team rather than a family because families can be 'dysfunctional'.
I guess that's one way to look at things...
UNILAD has contacted Netflix for comment.