With Britain entering its worst recession for many years, many of the most forward-thinking organisations are actually maintaining or even increasing their expenditure on coaching and mentoring as a way of helping employees through the changes.

And, despite the economic downturn, Professor Bob Garvey of Sheffield Hallam's Centre for Individual and Organisational Development (CIOD), has yet to note a dip in the number of clients approaching the centre for professional coaching.

Professor Garvey believes that businesses see coaching and mentoring as a way of preparing for the inevitable upturn rather than cutting back now and then not being ready when it starts.

'The field of coaching and mentoring is centred on transition and change, and in the current climate this could not be more relevant,' he said.

'We're seeing organisations being asked to cut up to 20 per cent in expenditure, yet they are maintaining or even increasing their coaching provision. They rightly recognise that employees need support, whether from internal or external sources, to overcome these challenges and prepare for the upturn.'

CIOD's growing influence in the field of coaching and mentoring got a further boost recently after they won a prestigious new contract. A team of researchers have just begun work on the evaluation of the London Deanery's mentoring programme for doctors and dentists in London.

CIOD has an extensive history of providing private and public sector businesses with commissioned research, continuing professional development, and coaching and mentoring programmes. These range from postgraduate courses, part-time coaching to one off modules, and can lead to certificate awards, masters and diplomas.

'The people signing up for our courses are using it to develop their career into coaching, sometimes as a self-employed consultant and sometimes to develop within their workplace,' said Professor Garvey, 'but in both cases the goal is the same - to help clients or colleagues help their organisations through times of change - an aim which couldn't be more important in today's climate.'

To find out how coaching and mentoring could help your business develop, visit www.shu.ac.uk/ciod