The Future of Workplace Health and Well-being: Peer Support Groups and Co-Company Support Communities
The Future of Workplace Health and Well-being: Peer Support Groups and Co-Company Support Communities
Written by: Paula Antalffy | 3-4 minute read
In today’s interconnected world, people can freely communicate with friends, family and long-lost classmates via social media.
However, while this increased ‘social’ connection may make us feel like we are closer to those we love, mental health statistics tell a different story.
According to the British Medical Association, in the UK, a record 4.6 million people were referred to mental health services during 2022, up 22% from 2019.
The trend is also reflected in the US. According to the American non-profit foundation, KFF, 49.9% of 18-25 year olds and over ⅓ of all adults, reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression in February of 2023.
The prevalence of common mental health disorders is also being felt by employers. According to British-American insurance company WTW, ⅔ of employers now rank mental health as a top priority in their business.
Mental Health in the Workplace
Although employers are becoming more aware of mental health struggles faced by their team members, it can often be difficult to find the right way to address these.
Today, mental health is far more openly discussed than it was in the past, however, there is still often a sense of ‘taboo’ around employees discussing their mental health.
Arguably, one of the best ways to create spaces where teams can openly and honestly discuss their mental health is through employee communities. A sense of community and social support is vital to our well-being. According to numerous studies, “social support of high quality can enhance resilience to stress”.
What’s more, social support is directly linked to increases in mental and physical health, while a poor social support group has a detrimental effect on these factors.
The question is: what do workplace-based social support programs look like?
Peer Support: What is it and why is it important?
According to the UK’s lead mental health charity, Mind “peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other.”
Peer support groups can differ greatly from one another, but they all aim to achieve 4 key things:
bring together people with shared experiences to support each other
provide a space where you feel accepted and understood
treat everyone's experiences as being equally important
involve both giving and receiving support.
Peer support can be a way for people to help each other when they are going through extremely challenging experiences such as chronic illness, loss of a loved one or mental health challenges.
They can also be used as a way to build community around a shared experience such as a women’s health group, being part of the LGBTQAI+ community or sharing advice among first time parents.
For employers looking to put their employee mental health and wellbeing first, creating peer support groups is a great place to start. These groups, which are relatively simple to create, have been shown to have hugely positive effects on people.
An article published in ‘Patient Education and Counseling’ looked at 25 existing studies around the effect of peer support groups created for people diagnosed with a variety of chronic illnesses, including HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and asthma.
The researchers found that participating in peer support groups had profound effects on both mentors and mentees, with both groups reporting:
An increased sense of connectedness with one another.
A transformation in knowledge about disease and self-management skills.
An increased sense of empowerment which helped aid a more active approach to healthcare.
A decreased sense of isolation.
Employee Resource Groups and their Effect on Diversity and Inclusion
Looking more specifically at how peer support groups and community creation can help in the workplace, McKinsey published an article highlighting the importance of effective Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in the workplace and their effectiveness in promoting workplace inclusion.
McKinsey’s article emphasises that in order to make ERGs successful, these peer support groups must align with employee expectations and the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) priorities.
In fact, research shows that employees who rate their ERGs as effective or very effective are more likely to feel included at work compared to those who rate their ERGs as ineffective.
Creating effective ERGs can contribute to a company’s DEI efforts by fostering inclusion, improving diversity and promoting external impact, such as helping a social cause employees are passionate about.
The McKinsey article also highlights how ERGs can help increase employees’ sense of belonging, authenticity and purpose at work, as well as strengthening acceptance among different groups. What’s more, having a thriving workplace community can help with recruiting efforts.
The article also identifies some of the common pitfalls of ERGs and highlights what businesses can do to ensure their efforts at creating employee communities are successful.
These include:
Ensuring clear communication about the purpose and goals of each group created
Making sure that the activities of each group align with the company’s DEI strategy
Providing detailed and deliberate communication about the expectations and reality of each groups’ activities
Managing and overseeing good execution of group aims to maintain leadership support
Arranging organisational support to alleviate the burden on ERG leader
Co-Company Support Communities: A New Level of Peer Support
Peer support groups and ERGs are able to create company-wide support groups for employees which help empower, connect and support teams. However, there is a still an unexplored level of company-based support networks: collaboration between organisations.
Through our innovative start-up MyDay, we are taking these peer support groups to the next level, aiming to create Co-company Support Communities, which let employees from different businesses connect with like-minded people over shared interests, life events and struggles.
Through the MyDay platform, businesses of all sizes can ensure that there are safe spaces for their team to feel supported around a wide range of health challenges and life events.
The app allows businesses to take on a new preventive step in mental and physical health support for their teams. Through bringing together people with similar lived experiences, and creating a group which makes space for support, as well as accountability, business owners can help counteract mental and physical health challenges, in both the short and long term.
The larger, co-company support communities can also provide an opportunity for organising events, inviting speakers to talk about shared issues and creating a wider community where people can share their issues and find support.
Making ERGs, Peer Support Groups and Co-Company Support Networks Simple
For any employer looking to create peer support groups, ERGs and co-company support networks, taking the first step can be daunting.
However, creating these vital tools which greatly benefit employee mental and physical health, doesn’t have to be difficult.
The MyDay platform is one great way that businesses can begin creating intra- and inter-company groups.
Companies can quickly begin helping their employees feel supported by giving them access to the platform’s features, which can be broken down into 4 areas:
Employee engagement tools: personalised tools for wellbeing, recognition and community, guided by science and proven to impact both outlook and motivation.
Verified global impact: Directly unlocked by participation in these wellbeing and community activities, a roster of verifiable global impact projects and high integrity carbon credits which are handpicked by your employees.
Company wide support groups: employee groups, which allow team members to connect around key life moments and global causes relevant to them. These help build a sense of community within your teams, and team morale and business performance in the process.
Measurable KPIs: key data points which can easily be viewed by investors, employees and the global community showing the direct impact of your businesses on a global community, as well as stories emerging from within the organisation.
Conclusion
It can be suggested that in many ways, the future of workplace health and well-being rests on the implementation of peer support groups, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), and co-company support networks.
The rising prevalence of mental health disorders, and the acknowledgment of their impact on employees, have led employers to prioritise mental health.
However, addressing these challenges can be daunting due to the stigma surrounding mental health discussions. What’s more, finding the resources and time to create these support groups can be difficult.
Nevertheless, for employers looking to take the peer support groups within their businesses to the next level, exploring innovative new tools - such as MyDay’s wellbeing platform - can help jump start the creation of employee communities.
Creating these spaces, where individuals can openly and honestly discuss their mental health, focus on shared experience, provide support and foster a sense of community, will increase team wellbeing, work-place satisfaction and productivity.
Collaborative co-company support networks can also further elevate employee support by allowing individuals from different organisations to connect, share common experiences, and find support.
By prioritising employee well-being through these initiatives, businesses can cultivate resilient teams, promote mental and physical health, and demonstrate their positive impact on the global community.
If you would like to learn more about MyDay and how our platform can support the health and wellbeing of your workforce, reach out to schedule time for a call.
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