Blog Post: Finding the silver lining … workers report recession boosts career

While most of America’s workforce has been shaken by the depth and breadth of the current recession in terms of its impact on their company and the consequences for their career, there are some bright spots, according to a report by the Scottsdale-based World at Work, a professional association for compensation and benefits specialists.
World at Work recently reported the results of a national survey sponsored by temporary employment firm Accountemps that revealed 77 percent of respondents had experienced at least one positive career-related impact from the recession, beyond just keeping their job.

Participants said their positive experiences had included:

• Taking on new projects (53 percent)
• Gaining new work responsibilities (52 percent)
• Taking on more challenging work (52 percent)
• Experiencing more interactions with higher management (44 percent)

Twelve percent of respondents even reported getting a promotion as a result of recession-led changes.
While few people want to feel that they’ve benefited from someone else’s misery, the most important take-away from this survey may be that career movement fueled by the recession deserves praise and recognition.
As Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International, was quoted as saying in the Accountemps news release about the survey, “While many employees are willing to stick it out during difficult times, companies must be prepared to reward those who have taken on added responsibilities as soon as business conditions improve or risk losing valued staff. Organizations that can’t provide promotions or financial incentives now should look for other ways to recognize top performers and let them know there is a long-term vision for them within the organization.”