Raises are rare in a recession, but supervisors are more willing to keep to performers happy with benefits that might otherwise be tough to negotiate, says Lin Grensing-Pophal, author of Motivating Today's Employees. Perks worth asking for, and tactics to get them:

A snazzier title
"When raises aren't an option, I often give title increases," says S. Gary Snodgrass, a senior vice-president at an energy corporation. Recently, one employee pointed out that a better title would give him more clout with clients. "I gladly agreed," says Snodgrass. "If someone says "Me, me, me," I'll say 'No, no, no." But explain what's in it for the company, and I'm all ears."

Working from home
"We're especially willing to keep good people happy with flexible schedules during tough times," says Rosalind Cox, a senior manager at For Motor Co. "But don't just walk in and ask to telecommute." One woman typed up a memo explaining what tasks she'd do at home. "This showed me she took the privilege seriously and would not waste time."

A cushy office
An associate asked Hamilton Holloway, public relations manager at a financial institution, to hire a feng shui expert to reorganize her department's cubicles. "It showed she cared about her environment and her peers," he says. "Plus it was fun. Any low-cost idea to boost morale these days will get a supervisior's attnetion."