An area that is often overlooked in management training is that of staff planning or, as our North American cousins would refer to it, workforce planning.

Even during a recession when HR seems to be more concerned with downsizing, it is vital to look ahead to the eventual upturn. Equally, one should consider whether the economic turmoil presents opportunities and have plans in place for expansion.

This means not only consideration of staff numbers, but also ensuring that the right experience and skills reside within the business. Even when recruitment has stopped, development and retention of staff is still an essential, not a luxury. Often unavoidable skills gaps can be filled by training staff so that they have wider skills sets.

It is important to build a coaching culture where staff can learn from each other, not only between the different levels within departments but also between the departments. Indeed, it can often be worthwhile to have peer reviews from other parts of the organisation.

Giving staff a large part of the responsibility for their own personal development and ensuring a meaningful system for assessing performance are both crucial.

Recession also presents an excellent opportunity to consider cost neutral and non-pay related benefits such as more flexible working.