Ian Nicholas, global managing director at Reed, said employee mental health isn’t just a problem for the workforce.

Instead, he argued it’s a “broader business issue, with widespread implications for productivity, retention and employee satisfaction”.

As a result, he believes employers need to more to look after their workforce so they aren’t left struggling and feeling burnt out.

“These statistics highlight a critical need for businesses to take mental health seriously, not just at a surface level, but with actionable processes that foster a culture of care,” Mr Nicholas commented.

Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of mental health charity Sane, added: “These startling figures show how important it is to have a quick route to identifying those at risk and to offer counselling and other help before they experience further symptoms.”

Despite the large number of employees struggling with their mental health, many are reluctant to talk about it.

In fact, one in ten people who took time off for mental health said they didn’t feel comfortable making this reason known.

Meanwhile, more than a quarter of employees who haven’t taken time off for their mental health said they have needed to, but felt they couldn’t because of fear of judgement, their workload and money worries.

The study also found that different age groups feel very differently about the issue of mental health.

For example, nearly one in five (19%) 55 to 64-year-olds said they think mental health should be dealt with outside work.

But less than one in ten (8%) 25 to 34-year-olds agreed with this view.