Nevertheless, some clouds still linger, and most companies are wary of going on a hiring and spending spree. They got used to lean, productive workforce management. And so the days of fat, unquestioned budgets, low ROI expectations and runaway workplace perks may never return.

    That might be for the best. Astute workforce management leaders dug in during the bad times and proved their real value. They know how to make an argument for a critical initiative. They understand that training has to show its value--right now. They developed keen recruiting skills, and showed that companies get the best people that way, not just through the ability to write the biggest check. And they are learning (the hard way) how to maintain productive workforces, even if the perk cupboard is bare.

    In other words, the 2004 Optimas Award winners are survivors, innovators and bottom-line businesspeople. The organizations that Workforce Management selected found creative ways to achieve such goals as increasing revenue in recessionary times, using literacy training to improve productivity and retention, and breaking down internal barriers that hindered a huge corporation's ability to win against significant foreign competition.