At the onset of 2009 as the UK braces itself for recession, 92% of employees are stressed in the workplace and 31% fear redundancy this year.

A study by Onepoll for e-learning and support providers SkillSoft reveals 44% of workers are losing sleep through stress and 32% are becoming ‘over emotional'. More than one in 10 (15%) are drinking to help them cope with the strain. Almost a quarter (24%) of staff admits to taking time off work due to stress.

In the HR profession, 83% said they were ‘sometimes' stressed due to dealing with redundancies and the stresses of other employees.

Increasing workload is the biggest stress factor, with 34% citing it as their biggest fear.

Kevin Young, managing director of SkillSoft EMEA, said: "There is a worry out there about what the future holds for employment and people are nervous they won't have the skills to cope with what may be required of them to keep their jobs."