Peer Support Programs in the Workplace

An estimated one in five people in the U.S. and Canada will personally experience mental illness in any given year. Furthermore, 70% of Canadians report that work impacts their mental health, and that increases to 84% for those in the U.S. Clearly, workplaces play an extremely important role in mental well-being. Organizations have a responsibility to provide resources and treatment options for their employees, but how can they stay on the cutting edge of care? To bolster traditional mental health care services, some workplaces are implementing peer support programs.

In a session from the recent Mental Health in the Workplace virtual conference, Lauren Scott, director of peer support services for Mental Health Innovations, shared the importance of social support for well-being and how workplace peer support programs contribute to a healthier, more empowered workforce.

Understanding Peer Support

Simply put, peer support is the kind of emotional and social support given by those who share a common lived experience. These shared experiences are often difficult life events or mental health/substance use challenges. Peer supporters use this lived experience to help others in similar situations, relying on empathy to inspire hope that wellness is possible, to encourage self-determination in best actions to take, and to empower others to take that action. Peer supporters provide understanding and reassurance, helping people feel less alone.

While peer support can range from informal to formal, any type of peer support program implemented in the workplace should be governed by formal policies, procedures and boundaries to ensure safe and effective care. It is not therapy or a replacement for clinical services; rather, it complements those services to support total well-being.

The Importance of Social Support

Peer support is one type of social support. Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the important role that social support plays in healing, especially in the workplace. Physical injuries are easy to see, and clinical treatments are the default response—but what about when the wound is not so easy to spot? Generally, the stigma surrounding mental health challenges makes people uncomfortable and more likely to draw back, thus creating increased social isolation for the person struggling. This is where peer supporters can lean in, providing a listening ear and helping individuals feel valued and cared about.

A Culture of Care

There are many benefits to peer support, including the development of better coping skills, increased community engagement, less isolation, reduced crises and hospitalization, and an overall increased quality of life. Workplaces can see benefits too, including decreased long- and short-term disability claims, improved organizational culture, reduced sick leave and increased employee engagement. Peer support programs help reduce mental health–related stigma by increasing mental health literacy for employees. By providing tailored support, these programs reduce the burden on more formal mental health support services like therapy and outpatient treatment. With a better quality of life, employees can bring their best selves to work, and when peer support is built into organizational culture, an employee’s lived experiences feel like an asset rather than a detriment.

While peer support programs are a valuable resource and may be a good fit for your organization, it is important to ensure that these training programs are trauma informed and focused on psychological safety in order to provide the best care. Programs are available that specialize in training staff to appropriately respond when someone is struggling, using person-centered, recovery-based dialogue. Successful workplace peer support programs have a solid structure, are appropriately financed and intentionally communicate to employees, which increases their comfort level with using the resource.

Resources

Learn more about peer support programs from Mental Health Innovations.

Become a Wellness Alliance member to view webinar recordings. Register for upcoming live events here: https://www.welcoa.org/training/.

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR REBECCA PLIER // PR/Communications Specialist • IFEBP

Rebecca Plier is diving headfirst into the wonderful world of employee benefits and workplace wellness. As a PR/Communications Specialist at WELCOA’s partner organization, the International Foundation, Rebecca shares essential information on educational programming, emerging benefits research data, member resources, and so much more. To maintain balance, she enjoys art journaling and attending regular yoga sessions.