The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has released a guide tackling mental illness issues in the workplace.
The free publication has been designed in association NHS agency Workways, which specialises in advising on mental ill health at work.
John Taylor, chief executive of Acas, said: "The stumbling block at the moment is that many employers and managers shy away from dealing with mental illness at work because it can be hard to pin down and it is a very sensitive matter to deal with.
"But we all need to develop a new way of looking at mental health and break down the taboo. There needs to be a willingness to discuss mental health and a culture where employers understand it and try to help their employees recover from mental illness."
"Managers are not expected to become professional counsellors. They should start by handling mental ill-health in the same way they would a physical illness by focusing on good communication, becoming aware of the issues and empathising."
The guide shows employers and managers how to: spot the early signs of mental ill health; raise awareness of mental health issues among managers and staff; develop a culture where an employee feels comfortable disclosing their condition; approach an employee who may have a mental health condition and try to help them cope with it or overcome it so they can work effectively again.
Mental health charity the Centre for Mental Health, estimares a total of 91 million work days are lost to mental ill-health every year.
But the lost days account for only half the £30billion cost of reduced productivity, with the rest taken up by employees turning up for work when unwell and not performing at their best.
