Why Peer Support Works at Work

There’s something quietly powerful about a colleague saying, “Are you okay?” – and actually meaning it.
Not as a script from a poster.
Not as a tick box.
But as one human, talking to another, in the middle of a demanding workday.

For a long time now, many organisations have sensed that workplace peer support matters. And the research backs that instinct – with growing clarity about what peer support does well, where its limits are, and what makes it work in real workplaces.

So here’s what the evidence actually says.

Workplace peer support starts with something the science is very sure about: the benefits of social support

Before we even talk about formal peer programs, the research is unequivocal on one point:
Social support from colleagues is a powerful buffer against occupational stress.

A qualitative study of workplace peer support found that social support from colleagues helps reduce perceived workload stress, improves coping and strengthens resilience, particularly in high demand environments (Agarwal, Brooks, & Greenberg, 2019, pp. 58–60).

Workplace peer support programs don’t replace this – they organise it. They provide structure, training and safe boundaries so support happens earlier, more consistently and more safely.

What the evidence says peer support does well

Peer support improves mental health literacy

One of the most consistent findings across industries is improved mental health literacy. A large Australian systematic review of the MATES in Construction program (Gullestrup et al., 2023, pp. 4–6) found strong evidence that peer-based approaches improve:

• mental health and suicide prevention literacy
• confidence to offer help
• understanding of warning signs

Similarly, police peer support programs increased understanding of mental health issues and helped officers recognise when colleagues were struggling (Millard, 2020, pp. 2–4).

Why this matters for workplaces:  Literacy is the gateway to early intervention. People can’t act on what they don’t recognise.

Workplace peer support reduces stigma and normalises conversation

One finding that regularly pops us is this:  Stigma is less of a barrier when mental health conversations are with a peer.

Construction workers consistently rated peers as among the most trusted for mental health conversations (Gullestrup et al., 2023, p. 9). And police officers described peer support as helping reduce stigma, particularly because supporters had shared lived experience and organisational credibility (Millard, 2020, pp. 4–6).

In a nutshell: Peer support doesn’t eliminate stigma – but it does lower the social risk of speaking up.

People tend to seek help from peers first

Across multiple studies and sectors, the pattern is remarkably consistent: Employees usually talk to a colleague before they approach HR, a manager or a clinician.

Construction workers explicitly reported greater trust in peer supporters than supervisors (Gullestrup et al., 2023, p. 9). Police officers described peer support as a preferred first step because it felt confidential and non-judgemental (Millard, 2020, p. 5). And the American Psychological Association reports that 94 percent of employees who accessed peer type mental health support rated it as effective (APA, 2022).

This doesn’t mean peer supporters replace professionals. It means they often act as the front door.

Workplace peer support benefits the supporters too (with the right safeguards)

A common concern is whether peer supporters become overloaded. The evidence suggests something more nuanced.

Peer supporters often report:

• increased confidence
• improved emotional awareness
• stronger coping skills
• a greater sense of purpose
  (Agarwal et al., 2019, pp. 60–62).

However, the research is equally clear that support, supervision and role clarity are essential, which can be supported through Mental Health First Aid training in the workplace. Without this, peer supporters can experience strain (Cooper et al., 2024, pp. 29–31).

Peer support is not a “set and forget” role.

What peer support doesn’t do (and shouldn’t be expected to do)

The evidence is refreshingly honest about limitations. A major umbrella review of peer support approaches (Cooper et al., 2024, pp. 16–18) found:

• mixed effects on clinical symptom reduction
• stronger evidence for recovery, empowerment and self-efficacy than for symptom change
• outcomes depend heavily on implementation quality

Peer support is not therapy. It does not replace prevention, leadership capability, safe systems of work or clinical care. It works alongside them.

So what makes peer support work in workplaces?

Across studies, the same ingredients keep appearing:

• Clear role definition and boundaries – Confusion about what peer supporters can and can’t do undermines trust and safety (Millard, 2020, pp. 5–6).
• Training and ongoing supervision – Peer supporters need skills and somewhere to take the emotional load (Agarwal et al., 2019, p. 61).
• Strong organisational backing – Peer support works best when it’s visibly supported by leadership – not treated as an informal side project (Cooper et al., 2024, pp. 29–30).
• Alignment with best practice guidelines – Phoenix Australia’s Best Practice Guidelines for Workplace Peer Support emphasise governance, supervision, referral pathways and risk management.

In short: Peer support thrives when it’s embedded, not bolted on. So, yep, that means some ‘governance’. And if that makes you want to stick your fingers in your ears and loudly sing “la la la” until the bad word goes away, you’re not alone. That’s why we have tried to make it easy for you. Check out our blog on Why Peer Support Programs Fizzle to find out about our Four Pillars approach to governance for peer support programs, and download our nifty governance scorecard.

The bottom line for workplaces

The evidence tells us this. Workplace peer support:

• improves mental health literacy
• reduces stigma
• supports early help seeking seeking
• strengthens connection and recovery

When it’s done well.

It’s not a silver bullet. But it is one of the most human – and effective – ways to support people in demanding workplaces. And in a world of dashboards, AI, frameworks and compliance obligations, that matters more than we sometimes admit.

Want help building a workplace peer support program that actually works?

At Head Strong Workplaces, we help organisations design safe, evidence informed peer support programs that:

• align with psychosocial risk obligations
• protect peer supporters
• integrate with existing systems

and work in the real world, not just on paper.

You can learn more about our approach to workplace peer support here.

Or get in touch for a chat about how we can support you to build a peer support program that actually works.

And if you’re ready to jump right in, fill in your details below and your copy of Head Strong’s Peer Support Program Governance Scorecard & 90‑Day Planner will be winging its’ way to your inbox quicker than…a really quick thing.

And just so you know, we’re better at workplace peer support programs than coming up with those words you use to compare one thing to another thing. (We’re gonna stop talking now.)

References
Agarwal, B., Brooks, S. K., & Greenberg, N. (2019). The role of peer support in managing occupational stress. Workplace Health & Safety, 68(2), 57–64.
Cooper, R. E., Saunders, K. R. K., et al. (2024). The effectiveness, implementation and experiences of peer support approaches for mental health: A systematic umbrella review. BMC Medicine, 22, 72.
Gullestrup, J., King, T., Thomas, S. L., & LaMontagne, A. D. (2023). Effectiveness of the Australian MATES in Construction suicide prevention program: A systematic review. Health Promotion International, 38(4), daad082.
Millard, B. (2020). Utilization and impact of peer support programs on police officers’ mental health. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1686.
American Psychological Association. (2022). Mental health support in the workplace.
Phoenix Australia. (2019). Best practice guidelines for workplace peer support programs.