The Keeper Test is one of the most discussed and most misunderstood elements of the Netflix culture. The test is simple: a manager asks themselves, for each person on their team, 'If this person said they were leaving tomorrow, how hard would I fight to keep them? Would I be relieved, indifferent, or devastated?' If the honest answer is 'relieved' or 'indifferent,' Hastings argues the manager has important information: there is a performance or fit issue that is not being addressed. The kind thing to do is to address it directly, offer a generous severance, and open the role to someone who would genuinely be 'devastating' to lose. This sounds ruthless. Hastings argues it is the opposite. The alternative is tolerating a person in a role that does not match their best work, which is neither kind to them nor to the team around them. A person who is not a genuine 'keeper' in their current role is usually better served by an honest conversation that creates the opportunity to find a role where they would be one. For the person in the role, Netflix offers a corresponding commitment: managers will tell people honestly when their position is at risk rather than surprising them. The company commits to transparency so that nobody is blindsided. Hastings also acknowledges that the Keeper Test requires genuine psychological safety to apply honestly: a manager who fears being seen as difficult will answer 'devastating' for everyone and the test loses its value.