The Key to Super Teams Lies in Mutual Support

Picture this: an overloaded project manager on a product launch team sends a late-night message to her peers: “I can’t get these final changes done in time—anyone able to help?” By morning, two teammates have already jumped in, reworked the files, and sent them back ready to ship. No extra pay. Just a willingness to step up for someone who needed it.

Stories like this are playing out all the time, in workplaces everywhere. Even as employee disconnect reaches 55% and uncertainty-related stress affects nearly half of today’s workforce, people are still showing up for each other. That willingness to pitch in, share knowledge, and offer support is a hidden superpower that strengthens culture and performance—even when trust in leadership wavers.

We’re All in This Together

According to our Summer 2025 State of the Workforce Report, peer support remains strong across all employee segments—even in times of chaos and uncertainty.

71% of employees say they’ve lent a compassionate ear to a colleague experiencing workplace problems.
62% have shared knowledge to help someone do their job better.
60% have mentored or coached fellow employees.
53% have stepped in to assist overloaded coworkers with their tasks.

These acts aren’t in the job descriptions—they’re voluntary. And they happen at scale.

Support That Endures Under Pressure

This kind of support doesn’t disappear during tough times. Employees facing high uncertainty-related stress still mentor, listen, and assist at nearly the same rates as those under less stress. The differences are negligible, suggesting that even when individuals feel overwhelmed, they continue to be there for their colleagues.

Perhaps most remarkable, even the most disconnected employees still help coworkers at only slightly lower rates than fully connected workers. They may have checked out from the organization, but they haven’t checked out from each other.

The Manager Multiplier Effect

Managers carry a particularly heavy “citizenship load.” They help, mentor, and share at far higher rates than non-managers—while still maintaining their own performance demands:

78% of managers engage in mentoring or coaching vs. 53% of non-managers.
76% of managers share knowledge vs. 56% of non-managers.
Over 80% of managers regularly provide compassionate listening.

And there’s a ripple effect. Employees with managers who actively support mental well-being help their peers 5–9 percentage points more than those without such managers. The biggest boosts are seen in mentoring and emotional support, followed closely by knowledge sharing and task help.

When managers model mutual support, it becomes the team norm—creating psychologically safer, more productive groups.

How to Harness Peer Support for Stronger Teams

You can’t manufacture authentic support, but you can nurture and amplify it. Here’s how:

Map existing networks. Identify where peer support is already strong, and uncover what’s fueling it.
Create connection opportunities. Encourage cross-team projects, volunteer initiatives, and peer recognition programs that deepen relationships.
Remove barriers. Ensure policies, workloads, and evaluation systems don’t unintentionally discourage employees from helping each other. Publicly value these contributions.
Equip managers. Train leaders in resilience skills so they can sustain their own well-being, model healthy behaviors, and coach their teams in doing the same.

The Untapped Resource Is Already Here

Peer support may be one of today’s most overlooked drivers of resilience and productivity. While leaders focus on engagement scores and retention plans, they can miss the fact that a large majority of employees are still showing up for each other—every day, in big and small ways.

The choice is clear. Treat this as a happy accident, or cultivate it into a powerful business asset.

Stay on top of the latest trends impacting your people. Get the meQ State of the Workforce Report.