Now there is less talk about the get-rich lifestyle and more talk about quality of life. It is about quality of life. A new friend from Xilinx is moving back to Sedona, Ariz., from Silicon Valley because that's where he wants to live. When he broke the news, his boss suggested he could do his Web development work from Sedona. My friend was flabbergasted that his boss would recommend telecommuting, and flattered that management thought enough of him to want to keep him at Xilinx.
Telecommuting is a way to keep valuable employees who opt for the quality lane.
So is day care and job sharing. My neighbor went right from graduate school to the fast track, and then four years ago had her first child and became a full-time mom. Now Mom has a yearning to get back to work but doesn't want to do it full time-maybe 20 hours a week, and work from home. She shares the job with another mom. Working together, the two are more productive than their employer had ever hoped for.