And employers eager to attract them have created some of the most worker-friendly workplaces in the country as lures. Most companies offer flex time, where employees can work, say, four longer days in exchange for three days off. Many gladly let their workers telecommute, just as long as they stay with the firm. Flexibility is key. It's also just the beginning of the perks.
Stock options are standard, often more than doubling workers' salaries in a few years.
So are annual or quarterly bonuses, which can add thousands to their paychecks. At the Netscape Communications Corp., based in Mountain View, Calif., workers not only get generous health benefits and six weeks of paid sabbatical every four years, they also have access to an on-site concierge service, which can do everything from catering parties to finding groomers for their pets. If an employee's child has a cold, the child can spend the day under a nurse's care at a special day-care center at the headquarters. And those are just the benefits workers get once they're on board. Many companies offer major sign-on bonuses as well.