According to a recent article in the New York Times, working-age young adults are more concerned about where they live than what they do for a living. As a Net Gener that contemplated quitting his job two years ago to move to the big city, I can sympathize. We’ve grown up with mantras like “work hard, play hard” and “work to live, don’t live to work,” so it’s no surprise that we value the quality of our extra-curricular lives as much as, if not more than, our careers.

According to the survey cited by The Times, 65% of those aged 24 to 35 prefer to find work in an attractive city rather than simply look for the best possible job, with location being a secondary consideration. Specific city criteria include clean, safe, green, and “will allow me to lead the life I want to lead.”

The implication for employers is twofold. If you happen to be located in an attractive city like Miami (or Barcelona), good for you; chances are there are a ton of eager workers looking for “something to do” between surfing, partying, and hanging out on the beach. However, for companies located in smaller towns, or less attractive urban centers, it might be time to start looking for new ways to retain your best employees.

As workers become more mobile, employers will also have to consider what percentage of their workforce they are willing to have work remotely from home offices. Many enterprises are now investing in collaboration software, video conferencing, and other online tools that allow them to hire or retain talent virtually anywhere in the world.

Net Geners will travel and move geographically many times in their lives causing high turnover and turmoil for those enterprises not willing to adapt to a workforce on-the-go. They are a globally connected bunch and it seems only natural that Net Generation employees will have similar expectations of their employers. It’s not a far leap from keeping in touch with friends and contacts around the globe to logging into the office in New York, Paris, or Tokyo from your coffee table at home.