I read a really interesting (actually frivolous) article about how Netflix apparently fired a few marketing execs for ‘griping’ on Slack.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-fires-execs-over-slack-comments-1234982361/

Most people that have used Slack (or Teams for that matter) will know you have public and private channels (different to direct messages). It seems that the hapless marketeers were actually doing the moaning in a public channel, and anyone and everyone could read it.

This raises a few questions for me:

  1. Did the employees have the training to use the tools and understand how they should be used?
  2. Did the employees understand that any communication in a work environment can be monitored and recorded?

Netflix says they didn’t get fired for slack messages, but also boast a value of “You only say things about fellow employees that you say to their face.”.

That a great value, but it only works when you’re not desperate for job – and not too scared to actually share and contribute with transparency and honesty about your manager.

Every employee has the right to discuss with their colleagues about the management and leadership – and that’s why management and leadership are paid the “big bucks” right? So unless the discussion was offensive, it shouldn’t have any impact other than a telling off for being a “bit dumb” and the unlikelihood of promotion or pay rise in the coming months.

But the reality is also this, Netflix, had a boom time over lockdown – and now it’s not able to maintain the same growth for all the obvious reasons (people have less time to sit around and get bored) and also the new shows have been delayed in filming (less new content – who didn’t watch EVERYTHING over the last 18 months).

The head of Netflix marketing is also a larger than life character with, and I am only presuming, has A MASSIVE EGO, and disliked being discussed in such a manner. Coupled with also not meeting growth targets – took aim at some people who were expendable – to save a few dollars and show everyone who’s boss.

Anyway, what is it they say – no press, is bad press. So not bad marketing really.