Being Clear on the Role of the Peer Supporter

A disturbing report came from a peer supporter at a recent team meeting. The supporter raised the issue during a discussion about the role they have within that particular organisation.

Some weeks earlier, the peer supporter was approached by a manager who was concerned about the work performance of one of their staff. The supporter was asked to approach the staff member to determine if these performance problems were due to stress. The peer supporter said she felt uncomfortable about approaching her colleague, as there were no obvious stress symptoms and the performance issues were not ones which directly concerned other staff. The manager accepted the peer supporter's reluctance and no more was said. The peer supporter, however, remained concerned about even being asked to approach her colleague.

This example highlights the need to ensure managers and supervisors understand the role peer supporters have. The role is not one which can be used for performance management. A peer supporter may approach a colleague who is having work-related problems as a consequence of a stressful incident, however, asking supporters to approach someone regarding their work performance, or changes in performance is inappropriate. Such tasks are the roles of supervisors and managers. When the peer supporter is a supervisor, they need to be clear on which "hat they're wearing" if they focus on performance issues. Peer support program guidelines and protocols should clearly outline the role team members have within their organisation.