For folks who want to work from home, there may be a silver lining to this recession.

Research conducted by Insight Performance Inc for WorldAtWork, suggests that corporate belt tightening may inspire employers to be more creative when it comes to finding and retaining key talent.

According to Nancy R. Mobley, president and CEO of Insight Performanc:

“With concerns about a recession, companies are recognizing the competitive advantage of creating strong workplaces.� They want to attract, and particularly retain, top talent at this time so they can be in the best position to achieve their business goals. As studies have shown, companies with outstanding HR practices deliver nearly double the shareholder value of their counterparts.�

“With limited budgets for salaries, companies will emphasize creative and affordable benefits, rewards and recognition. Thanks to technologies that enable employees to work from virtually any location, more organizations will consider flexible work arrangements as viable options for their workforce. Savvy organizations are providing employees with the tools and flexibility to work in a number of arrangements, including part-time, flextime, telecommuting, job sharing, etc.”

“A growing number of organizations are preparing for changes in the workforce. With many Baby Boomers poised to retire over the next few years, there will be an anticipated workforce deficit creating vacancies in senior management positions. Forward-thinking organizations are looking for ways to keep these workers engaged through flexible work and consulting arrangements, while also grooming up and comers.”

If you’re a key player in your organization and you want to work from home, a recession may be your ticket to commuter freedom. Stay tuned for advice about how to convince your employer to let you commute via the information highway.