Training, kissing up to the boss and working longer hours are just some of the ways workers are looking to recession-proof their jobs against recession, according to job search engine Simply Hired.co.uk.

The poll shows that 10% are sycophants to the boss, 18% are putting in longer hours, while 36% are taking extra classes to prove their worth to their company.

The survey also shows that 56% would prefer more holidays to a bigger pay packet.

However, the poll also shows that 26% are not bothering to take any extra steps to stand out from the crowd at work.

Sachin Shah, director at Simply Hired.co.uk, says: “The employee is being forced to change their mindset and adapt in the same way the recession has forced business to rethink the way in which they operate.

“There is a mutual understanding that employees and jobseekers need to make themselves be seen as valuable to the company in order to avoid redundancy and with purse strings tighter than ever, other benefits are becoming more appealing for retaining and attracting talent.”