Leading companies are using the recession to strengthen their leadership and manage their talent, according to an international survey from the Scala Group, the ACE Network and supported by international law firm Salans.

The global financial crisis has given firms an impetus to strengthen leadership as well as to devise new talent management strategies to invest in their staff in preparation for economic recovery.

In theInternational Human Resources Barometer survey, in which more than 550 senior HR management professionals were polled across 17 countries, 64% of UK respondents say their organisation is strengthening leadership capability while 79% think they should do more of this to help them in the economic recovery.