Netflix layoffs: HR, technology, product and legal teams affected by 1,000 job cuts

Netflix is cutting approximately 1,000 jobs globally, with human resources (HR), product, technology and legal teams among the divisions expected to be affected, the Financial Times reported on 14 October.

The reductions represent around 6% of the streaming company's workforce and were announced in an internal memo by co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, according to reports by the Financial Times and CNBC.

The move marks Netflix's largest round of job cuts since 2022, when the company laid off around 450 employees across two separate rounds. The latest reductions come as the streaming platform seeks to accelerate growth while directing resources towards areas it considers priorities.

What the leadership memo says about the cuts

Sarandos and Peters presented the reductions as a decision about how Netflix allocates its people and resources, while reaffirming the company's investment plans.

"Our mission - to entertain the world - is ambitious, and delivering on it requires us to be disciplined about where we prioritise our people and resources," the co-CEOs said in the memo, as quoted by CNBC.

The executives also said Netflix's business remained strong and growing, and maintained the company was on course to meet its full-year financial forecast.

"We'll continue to invest aggressively in high impact areas to improve our service and further drive growth and innovation," they said.

The memo indicates a continued focus on investment in selected business areas alongside reductions in other functions. However, the reports do not specify how many positions will be eliminated within HR, or provide a detailed breakdown by department or country.

Earlier warning on growth

The latest cuts follow comments by Sarandos in September, when he said Netflix was "not growing as fast" as the company wanted.

"We're working on making that move faster," he added, according to the supplied report.

Netflix is scheduled to report its quarterly earnings on 20 October 2026. The results will provide its next formal update on financial performance, while the co-CEOs have said the company remains on track to meet its full-year forecast.

Netflix is not alone in reducing headcount

The restructuring comes amid other workforce reductions in the entertainment sector. Disney has also announced plans to cut around 300 jobs, with HR and technology roles expected to be among the most affected, according to the supplied report.

For HR professionals, Netflix's decision places the function among the teams facing reductions at a major global streaming company. The precise impact on HR headcount, the locations affected and the redistribution of responsibilities remain undisclosed in the reports available.

Netflix's third-quarter earnings announcement on 20 October is the next scheduled milestone for understanding its financial outlook. The company has not yet provided a public department-by-department account of the planned job cuts.