The Sunderland-based independent agency chain, which employs more than 1,700 people, said the pledge was part of an effort by companies to “end mental health discrimination”.

Time to Change, which has been signed by more than 900 employers in the UK, commits firms to “changing how its employees think, act and talk” about mental health, as well as ensuring staff facing these problems receive support.

The move came after Hays held a Time to Talk day in February, which encouraged employees to talk about mental health.

Emily Wilson, from Hays Travel’s graduate management programme, said: “After organising a Time to Talk day for the company, myself and the health advocate team felt like we couldn’t just stop at one day of people discussing mental health subjects.

“This week, we’re using our intranet hub to share personal stories and experiences throughout the company including our retail branches. It’s about getting people comfortable and talking about it.”

Signing the pledge is part of Hays’ ongoing efforts to tackle the issue of mental health with further initiatives planned by the company in the coming months.

“The pledge gives the company a lot of support to provide staff with information. We can get in touch with other companies who have signed up and they can tell us about what they are doing,” added Wilson.

“It’s going to be ongoing. We’re looking at doing stress-busting training and we will be holding regular meetings about the pledge.”

Helen Liddle, Hays Travel’s head of human resources, added: “Our employees’ health and wellbeing is extremely important to us, which is why we are committed to providing an environment that promotes good health.

“We will continue to invest time and resources into raising awareness and providing the best possible support for our employees.

"This pledge is the first step to demonstrate our commitment and I am very proud to be part of such an important campaign.”