The careful management of finance, expenditure and cash flow will be the top priority for almost half of employers this year, pushing down training, staff retention and recruitment.

According to figures from Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, budgetary management is the top priority for 45% of employers compared with training and retention (32%) and recruitment (39%).

But experts at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank claim relieving the pressure points on a company’s cash flow could promote sustainable commercial growth and enable potentially lucrative opportunities to be explored.

Colin Fyfe, divisional director for Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank’s business and corporate banking division, Integrated Financial Solutions, said: "Easing the pressure on cash flow is one of the most significant moves a business can make. It doesn’t necessarily mean more cash in the bank but it can afford a business the chance to pursue quality opportunities it might otherwise have been unable to realise.

"While the timing won’t be right for every business, strong businesses which have been able to withstand a challenging economic climate may increasingly see the ability to reinvest cash as a key catalyst for growth."