When I started writing this blog last summer, I shared that our research had identified overwhelming levels of financial stress among employees. We had found in that quarter, that in light of the financial meltdown, employees had resorted to short-term money management and were ignoring their retirement savings - and of course, we were worried. What future crises did employees face if they didn't start paying more attention to their retirement?

In our 2009 Year in Review, we spotted a theme: 2009 was really a year of failure and redemption for American employees. As plan providers cut their matches, mandated furloughs and took action necessary to manage their businesses, employees were hit from all sides in this recession: losing jobs, losing retirement savings and struggling to get by and pay the monthly bills.

Participants went through a phase of panic and short-term focus to a phase of realization that now was the time to take control of their financial situations and build their wealth again. Now, they are beginning to realize they can't control the swings in the market or the actions of their employers, but they can control how they spend, save and invest their money.