There's mounting evidence to suggest that Canadian workplaces are rife with mental illness but some say managers are still struggling to understand the issue.

Seventy-eight per cent of short-term disability claims in Canada were related to mental health issues in 2009-10, according to a Towers Watson report. Mental illness also factored into 67 per cent of long-term disability claims that year.

Whether the illness is pre-existing or recent, Bill Wilkerson maintains that these issues can be ameliorated in the workplace with a little bit of knowledge and a lot of effort.

As co-founder of the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, he's devoted himself to finding ways to alleviate the challenges of mental illness at work for both managers and employees.

According to Wilkerson, employers began to see absences related to mental illness surge in the late 90s and early 2000s, a trend he believes is proportionate to job uncertainty and increased workloads.

Speaking in a phone interview, Wilkerson offered a few ideas as to how managers and employees can work towards a healthier workplace.

Stop hiding behind a screen

Communicating through gadgets has become the norm for many workers, especially those who work at a desk.

As a result, Wilkerson says employers are becoming less and less aware of the challenges their workers face.

"Put the email and texting habits aside to as large extent as possible and start listening. Talk directly to people," said Wilkerson.

Distribute work reasonably

Nagging on-the-job stress can also occur when employers overload employees with work or assign them tasks that are beyond their jurisdiction.

"If you burn out people, if you discourage people, you are really undermining the investment you have in those people," explained Wilkerson.

Trust through understanding

Getting to know an employee has several advantages, the most important of which might be fostering trust.

When an employer trusts an employee, they're less likely to hover or micromanage them, two actions that can be detrimental to a person's self-worth.

Pay attention to warning signs

Lastly, Wilkerson says everyone in a workplace needs to keep an eye out for signs of stress in themselves and one another.

Brushing a problem off, he says, may allow the situation to snowball.

"It's important for them to understand that if they're feeling worried about their health, their health is probably beginning to slide," he said.