Netflix Issues Memo Seemingly Aimed at Easily Offended Employees: This ‘May Not Be the Best Place For You’

Netflix Olivier Douliery/Getty Images

Netflix posted a “culture” memo for employees on Thursday, and it implied those who are easily offended or might seek to “control” others should find the exit door.

Some company employees staged a walkout last fall after comedian Dave Chappelle told transgender jokes which some found offensive during his last standup special for the streaming service.

CBS News reported after The Closer was released, employees held a rally to “underscore the importance of responsible content offerings that prioritize the safety and dignity of all marginalized communities.”

It appears Netflix is making an attempt to quell future protests. Its new culture document implies the company wants to work with thick-skinned people.

The memo states Netflix strives for inclusivity, but also asks employees to broaden their horizons, in so many words.

“At Netflix, we aspire to entertain the world—creating great stories from anywhere and offering greater choice and control for people everywhere,” Netflix says. “To help us succeed, we’ve created an unusual employee culture. This document is about that culture, and how we can continuously improve as a team so that we can better serve our members.”

Netflix advises employees, or potential employees, it is seeking to hire and retain people who value “judgment,” “selflessness,” “inclusion” and “curiosity,” among other personal attributes it finds attractive.

“At Netflix, positive and constructive feedback is part of everyday life—not only an annual event. Meaningful feedback can be hard to give or accept. But like any new habit, it gets easier with practice,” the memo says. “But it is an important part of getting stronger, as individuals and as a company, because it’s what fuels our dream team.”

If employees had any illusions they were part of a family, the company busts them:

We model ourselves on being a professional sports team, not a family. A family is about unconditional love. A dream team is about pushing yourself to be the best possible teammate, caring intensely about your team, and knowing that you may not be on the team forever. Dream teams are about performance, not seniority or tenure.

The memo grows more blunt from there. Netflix wants its team to know that there is no place for conscientious objections.

“Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful,” the company cautions. “If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you.”

Netflix also says it wants employees who seek “context,” and not “control” regarding decisions about what subscribers consume.

The roughly 3,800-word memo can be read in its entirety here.