Recession-worried workers are coming into the office earlier than they did before the global economy took a tumble, new research suggests.

The data from OfficeMetrics finds that workers in five of the seven countries surveyed -- the U.S. and France are the exceptions -- are arriving at their desks anywhere from seven to 15 minutes earlier than they did before the recession.

The study compared arrival times in March to arrival times in November, and found workers in Australia, Japan and Ireland are coming in eight or nine minutes earlier, on average. Workers in the U.K. and Germany are coming in roughly 15 minutes early.

The study didn't analyze punctuality in Canada, but one workplace affairs expert says workers here are adjusting their behaviour accordingly, as many employers react to shrinking profit margins.

Workplace analyst Barbara Moses told CTV.ca she has witnessed a major shift in how Canadians feel about their jobs. For the most part, they're just happy to have one.

"I was talking to someone a few weeks ago who said 'I just don't feel that passionate about what I'm doing. I wish my work was more exciting.' And I looked at her like she was an alien because it's been about nine months since I've heard anyone talk like that," Moses said.

Now, people who have jobs are just happy to be working, and they're trying to show their appreciation -- from showing up early -- or at the very least on time -- to taking on extra work without complaint.

"Certainly they're aiming to please," she said.

"People are more accommodating, more prepared to do things that they wouldn't do otherwise. And they have less attitude. People aren't thinking as much about work/life balance or whether they love their work. Now the priority is keeping a job."

That means people who are feeling under the weather -- and would have stayed home nine months ago -- are now toughing it out and coming into work, Moses said.

Workers also seem to be living by the Asian proverb that warns that the nail that sticks up above the rest, is likely to get hammered down.

"They're less likely to speak out," Moses said. "People tend to be more conforming in difficult times, less likely to take the unpopular view in a meeting...they're less likely to be change-agents, they're more risk-averse."

'Dive on the ball'

Joe Takash, a U.S. corporate consultant and author of "Results Through Relationships," said that's exactly the wrong kind of attitude to have when times are tough.

When corporations are taking a hard look at the roster and trying to decide who to keep and who to let go, Takash told CTV.ca, it pays to stand out from the crowd.

"No question about it in my mind. Look at it this way if you're the wallflower and you're merely a bench player, who are they going to cut first? But if you're someone who's willing to dive on the ball and take the risk, you prove your value," Takash said.

"You want to know that at least you've fired every bullet in your gun and taken your best shot."

Takash has a hard time believing American workers' punctuality has suffered since the recession began, as the OfficeMetrics data suggests.

Rather, he said his own personal experience suggests American workers are stepping up their game too.

Prior to the recession, there were guaranteed to be a number of last-minute drop-outs from the executive training sessions he leads. Now, not so much.

"I'm getting 100 per cent attendance, which says that people who are working know that when they are there, they have to be operating at a much higher level. It really is a survival of the fittest," Takash said.

"They're seeing companies giving haircuts and they're thinking, 'What can I do to stand apart, to differentiate myself?'"

Power differential

Takash suggests one possible explanation for the alleged punctuality problem is that the U.S. has a much lower "power differential" than most of the world. That means workers often have a casual, relaxed relationship with their boss that doesn't exist in many other countries.

It's possible, he said, that workers feel a false sense of job security, and as a result aren't concerned about punctuality.

But he said that's rather unlikely, and in fact the opposite seems to be true. Anecdotally, at least, employees seem to be striving to keep their jobs.

"I'm good friends with the president of Robert Morris University, and he said never in his tenure as president, 13 or 14 years, has he received so much appreciation from his staff," Takash said.

"There's a heightened level of appreciation and people are reaching out to express their appreciation for being employed and their willingness to help out when needed."