Netflix is asking employees to consider for themselves whether Netflix is really for them if they have problems with the content they're working on. Something that has led the streaming giant to update its policy regarding company culture for the first time since 2017 by adding a section called "Artistic Expression". This states that Netflix as a company supports artistic expression of all kinds and lets its audience choose what it wants to watch. This means that employees may be asked to work with content they personally dislike, disagree with, or even reject. If this is the case, it may be best to seek employment elsewhere. Of course, this also applies to new hires: you can read the full policy here.
"Not everyone will like--or agree with--everything on our service. While every title is different, we approach them based on the same set of principles: we support the artistic expression of the creators we choose to work with; we program for a diversity of audiences and tastes; and we let viewers decide what's appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices."
"As employees we support the principle that Netflix offers a diversity of stories, even if we find some titles counter to our own personal values. Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you'd find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you."
Netflix, which has had a struggling quarter with subscriber losses for the first time in a decade, shared accounts and harsh criticism from the likes of Elon Musk that its content is now so "woke" it's impossible to watch. But the problems, and a big reason why the policy has now been updated, began late last year when staff planned a so-called "walk-out", something that has become increasingly common when people are unhappy with their employer and their actions or inactions. The reason for this particular walk-out was Dave Chapelle's controversial stand-up "The Closer", in which many felt the comedian made transphobic remarks. Netflix's Vice President then defended the decision to continue airing the show in an internal email that went out to staff, something that thus caused them to react and for which he then had to make a fuss in a classic "I'm sorry" email, apologising and saying that he understood that staff might take offence but still stood by the show's continuation. Netflix should provide content suitable for everyone, was the position at the time. In the past, Netflix has also received massive criticism for the film Cuties, which was deemed to sexualise children. In that case, however, the film was taken down fairly immediately.
According to a Netflix spokesperson, cultural issues have been discussed for the past 18 months. According to The Wall Street Journal, with the addition of "Artistic Expression", the recruitment process is now easier and problems can be prevented by only hiring people who really feel that Netflix is the right employer for them. If the new hire already knows what's what and "buys the situation" then there's no risk of ending up in the same situation as with Chapelle again and staff will also have the opportunity to think through whether they're actually in the right place.
With the current competition in the industry with numerous cheaper and, according to many, better alternatives, it now remains to be seen whether this is a move that will see it return to its former glory days or whether it will find itself overtaken by HBO Max, Disney+, Amazon Prime and other competitors constantly challenging for the place on the throne.