The Role of Peer Support in Managing Occupational Stress: A Qualitative Study of the Sustaining Resilience at Work Intervention

Abstract

Background: Peer support at work may support psychological resilience by enhancing coping skills and providing social support. The current study aimed to examine how a workplace peer support program, “Sustaining Resilience at Work” (StRaW), may support employee mental health from the perspective of the trained peer supporter. Method: Nine individuals from various public and private organizations who had completed StRaW peer supporter training participated in semi-structured interviews to explore their views on the StRaW program. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Findings: Three main themes emerged: the impact of workplace stressors on employee mental health, the impact of StRaW, and feedback on StRaW. The results suggested positive effects of StRaW training on practitioners’ ability to support colleagues and maintain their own psychological well-being. Discussion/Application to Practice: Our results indicated that peer support programs in the workplace may improve employees’ well-being and relationships between employees. As such, occupational health professionals should recommend that their organizations invest in these types of programs to improve organizational resilience. They should encourage employees they consider to be capable of supporting their colleagues to undergo this training as evidence suggests this is beneficial to the trained employees’ own well-being, rather than making them feel burdened or under pressure. Occupational health professionals should also view such programs as useful ways of improving attitudes toward mental health within their organizations.

Working with individuals who have experienced homelessness: Stresses and successes

“…The element which was valued most highly was the buddy support system. This echoes a body of literature which points to the benefits of peer support structures (Agarwal et al, 2019). Peer support programs can prevent behaviours such as disengagement, absenteeism and intentions to leave the organisation (Whybrow et al, 2015).…”

Psychosocial and behavioral problems of children and adolescents in the early stage of reopening schools after the COVID-19 pandemic: a national cross-sectional study in China

“…More close friends and peer support in the reopened school life may improve their psychosocial and behavioral well-being. Agarwal B and Brooks SK have reported peer support played an important role on the sustaining resilience in managing occupational stress 39 . In the early stage of reopening, the school should set up more group physical activities, fruitful peer support and communication to address their fears and concerns, and playing cooperative games to reduce loneliness 6 , which may be useful to support psychological resilience and relief externalizing or internalizing behaviors from the pandemic and home-confinement.…”

Association between Self-Perceived Social Support in the Workplace and the Presence of Depressive/Anxiety Symptoms

“…Lack of support has a negative relationship to the workplace environment, in addition to impacting workers’ mental health [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Repeated exposure to negative occupational condition or environments, including lack of support from colleagues and supervisors, increases job-related stress, depression, and anxiety; this could lead to making workers less attentive at work, thereby resulting in unsafe behavior [ 35 ].…”