Today we compare the behind-the-scenes cultures of five major players in the video streaming industry – Hulu, YouTube, Amazon, TimeWarner (who own HBO, who produces “Game of Thrones,” and we have to mention “Game of Thrones”) and big daddy of them all Netflix. Streaming media hasn’t been around forever, so most of these companies shouldn’t have had the time to calcify into the kind of organizations that don’t take their employees’ happiness and security to heart. Using Comparably’s employee-submitted reviews and ratings, let’s take a look at how well that logic holds true when mapped to real-world responses from employees who spend significant chunks of their lives working for companies like this.
OVERALL CULTURE
First little gold trophy goes to Netflix, who beat runners-up Amazon, TimeWarner, and YouTube by a handy ten percentage points. Hulu’s employees give their company’s culture a fairly lowly C grade, offering no competition to the other four streaming giants.
Amazon: “The people who work at the ground level are generally wonderful to work with. Their diversity in culture and personality is refreshing.”
Hulu: “It is a tremendously low performing culture. Over time Hulu has aquired folks resistant to change and only willing to do the bare minimum. It is a “no fire” culture even if employees curse at customers. The c suite micro manages. The junior folks are coddled. Too many teams run on consensus and the result is a meeting culture. Far too much talking not enough doing.”
Netflix: “The culture is centered around our core values and how you show up as a human being. Selflessness, passion, impact, integrity, judgment, INCLUSION – these are just some of the things we expect everyday from our teams.”
TimeWarner: “What I like most is how straight-forward the processes are.”
YouTube: “Amazing! You couldn’t really ask for better, because you get to work when you either want to, or can. In other words, you choose your own work-life balance at YouTube.”
CEO & LEADERSHIP
Netflix’s well-liked Hastings wins the company its second trophy in the CEO category. Amazon’s world-famous Bezos and YouTube’s Wojcicki lag back 13 percentage points behind Hastings to tie for second. Hulu’s Freer and TimwWarner’s Bewkes both received ok scores that show much room for improvement.
Amazon: “I think he’s out of touch with the demands on the associates at the fulfillment level. Amazon appears to be great but the employee is just a number.”
Hulu: “Leadership needs to hold each other accountable. For real.”
Netflix: “Reed Hastings is a great CEO and I think the sentiment is pretty much positive across the board.”
TimeWarner: “It’s changed alot since Charter took over. Was great when it was TWC.”
YouTube: “Susan is really grounded and approachable and has a good 360 degree view of the world.”
COMPENSATION
Solid scores for all five companies but another trophy goes to Netflix here, in the Compensation category – but Netflix takes a third win with their slightly superior score.
Amazon: “Amazon really needs to restructure their comp model and/or add a more dynamic element to both attract and retain talent.”
Hulu: “Hulu totes ‘competitive compensation’ but that’s only the case if you’re a director or above. Internal transfers are severely underpaid in comparison to external hires (who, in general, are very middle of the road in performance).”
Netflix: “When Netflix says that they pay “top of market,” they mean it.”
TimeWarner: “I feel undervalued, because I consider myself to be a top-notch worker and haven’t even been acknowledged for my efforts.”
YouTube: “Content creators have recently been hit heavily with what is commonly called the ‘Ad-pocolypse’ where many of us saw a huge downward trend in income because ads were no longer being played on many of our prior and present videos, even those that were advertiser friendly.”
PERKS & BENEFITS
In terms of Perks & Benefits, Netflix wins again, narrowly defeating close runner-up TimeWarner. Hulu scores respectably here, but YouTube and – to an extent – Amazon need to start chipping in more when it comes to helping with the cost of their employee’s cost of living with a healthier spread of benefits.
Amazon: “In general, Amazon has a principle of ‘frugality’ so they don’t give employees anything they consider a “frill” but of course you get health insurance, a very low-matching 401k, $100 off amazon goods each year, and the stock. Stock is probably the best thing right now.”
Hulu: “Free food, green transit, parking, unlimited PTO, paternity and maternity leave, but bad tuition reimbursement program. No mentorship program. Bad internal development programs.”
Netflix: “Netflix looks to provide the benefits that make employees lives easier.”
TimeWarner: “Time Warner has great insurance and 401k”
YouTube: “So many different benefits that are used all the time.”
DIVERSITY
Three winners for three very close scores in a category on a lot of minds these days, Diversity. Amazon, Netflix, and TimeWarner were all granted high marks by employees of color for their diversity initiatives. YouTube and Hulu don’t embarrass themselves but could probably use a little more focus in that area.
Amazon: “It is unfortunately a lot of men working in engineering. Otherwise the work force is very diverse (I’m pretty sure a majority of my team, myself included, is not originally from America).”
Hulu: “Some diversity, but certainly not enough. HR deflects questions regarding diversity, and thinks having a couple of women in mid-level leadership positions constitutes diversity. Tragic.”
Netflix: “We’re broadly diverse, not only in terms of gender and race, but also work and education backgrounds. We often come up with multiple effective approaches to problems and we’re all mature enough to let the ideas with the most merit bubble up to the top.”
TimeWarner: “Need consistency in company standards.”
YouTube: “They care more about diversity than people knowing how to do their job.”
OUTLOOK
Amazon: “They will survive and conquer.”
Hulu: “A bunch of white dudes from Amazon & Microsoft who came to Hulu continue to hire more white dudes from Amazon & Microsoft.”
Netflix: “The focus is on the value you bring (quality, not quantity). Lots of freedom with responsibility. Growth mindset.”
TimeWarner: “We care a lot and are extremely excited to come to work each day.”
YouTube: “I appreciate the feeling of having made an impact without being overly stressed.”
Well, once again we have one apparently forward-thinking company dominating our look into five different company cultures. Nobody embarrassed themselves here today, but its clear that Netflix has put in the work and the focus that results in some serious dedication from their employee base. Netflix win in all categories, sharing the Diversity trophy with Amazon and TimeWarner, which is an encouraging sign for everyone. And while Hulu and YouTube’s cultures weren’t voted as quite as worthy today, they’re both within hailing distance of getting it right.
