Support from colleagues: when people do not turn up for each other

Support from colleagues eases the effect of high demands. It is built in everyday work – in how people share knowledge and ask for help – more than at social events.

Updated October 6, 2026 · 3 min read

What the law says

aml § 4-3 (2) dSupport and help in the work is a psychosocial working environment factor.Regulation § 1A-1 dThe same factor is named in the regulation on the performance of work.

Arbeidstilsynet writes that support and help means employees can get the support they need from managers and colleagues, and that it can be both emotional and practical. Arbeidstilsynet also notes that support is a protective factor that can reduce the risk from other strains.

What Orgpuls asks

The factor «Support from colleagues» is measured with three statements, answered on a five-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree:

«My colleagues turn up when I need help»
«We share knowledge instead of holding on to it»
«I feel like part of the team»

Read the number right

Help, knowledge or belonging? The three statements are solved in different ways.
New or long-serving? Low belonging among new starters points to how they are welcomed.
Together with contact? People who are rarely at work at the same time naturally get less support. Read more about contact and communication.

Common causes

Typical causes:

a high pace, so nobody has time to help
competition or individual targets that make helping a loss
knowledge held by individuals
groups or cliques that keep apart

Three measures that work

Regular learning meetingsA colleague shares something they have learnt or solved. Sharing knowledge becomes a habit, not a coincidence. Time: 30 min a month. Watch: «We share knowledge instead of holding on to it»

Make asking for help normalThe leader asks for help themselves and gives credit to those who step up for others. Time: Ongoing. Watch: «My colleagues turn up when I need help»

Workshop: This is how we help each otherThe team works out when they need each other most, and how to make it easy to get help. Time: 60 min. Watch: «I feel like part of the team»

The research behind it: support from colleagues dampens the effect of high demands. Measures that build support in the daily work do better than one-off social events.

Measure whether it helped

Run a short pulse on the factor a couple of months after the measure is in place. If the number does not move, the measure missed the cause, and you need to go back to the group and ask again. Read more about getting from results to measures and going through the results with your employees.

Sources

This is general information, not legal advice. We checked what the law says with Lovdata and Arbeidstilsynet in September 2026.

Support from managers: when the score is lowA low score on support from managers in your work environment survey? What the law says, how to read it, common causes and three measures that work.Read the article →Contact and communication: when the job gets lonelyA low score on contact and communication? What the law says about contact with others and lone working, common causes and three measures that work.Read the article →

See where you stand

Orgpuls measures «Support from colleagues» and ten other factors anonymously, and suggests measures where the number is low. The first 15 days are free.

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