Rethink has welcomed findings from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's (CIPD) survey into absenteeism from work.
The mental health charity has called for the government and employers to work together to improve the current situation.
Studying 30,000 workers, the CIPD survey found that time taken off for stress has risen by seven per cent, with sufferers taking an average of 21 days off work.
Commenting, Rethink head of campaigns and media Jo Loughram said: "Employers large and small have a legal duty to make adjustments for employees with mental health problems."
She added that with less than 40 per cent of employers saying they would employ someone with mental illness, "the government must do much more to help reduce the prejudice and ignorance which surround mental health".
The CIPD said the findings of its report were "particularly worrying" for the government given the "huge" increase in the number of Britons with mental health problems claiming incapacity benefit.
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