Peer-to-Peer Learning | How Does It Work, Examples

Why settle for traditional training programs that can feel stale and one-sided when you can empower your team to learn from one another in a dynamic way? This is what peer-to-peer learning is all about. P2P is a proven method to create a culture of collaboration, boost skills, and keep your team engaged.

Today, successful companies have taken that principle and built powerful learning cultures around it. They have proven that peer-to-peer learning is not just a trend. It is a smarter, faster way to build skills, engagement, and trust across teams.

So, how can your company appear on that list, too? In this article, we will explore how peer-to-peer learning works, how to make it truly effective, and show you real examples from some of the biggest names out there. I have adapted these tips after reviewing the Employee Development Programs and Employee-to-Employee initiatives of companies such as Google, Pixar, Heineken, Amazon, Chipotle, and others. 

Let’s see how you can make it work for YOUR organization. 

What is peer-to-peer learning? 

Peer-to-peer learning refers to employees developing skills and knowledge by learning directly from one another. You can make it happen through structured or semi-structured formats. For example, when one of your employees acts as a facilitator for another as they teach a course, run 1:1 mentoring sessions, or design training with your L&D team. 

And what is the idea of this approach? The core idea behind peer-to-peer learning is that you use the internal expertise of your employees who already do the work well to teach others. 

You may now think, why not just hire a trainer, or outsource employee training and development?  The answer is simple: no one understands your challenges better than the people already solving them.

Xerox’s technician example is just one proof of why your employees are a much valuable asset when it comes to learning and development in the workplace. 

In his book “Talking about Machines: An Ethnography of a Modern Job", Julian Orr describes how Xerox technicians solved issues by sharing experiences. The thing is, the technical problems they encountered were not always documented in their manuals. So, what they did was tell others of the issues they solved and how they did it. 

Moving from the 90s to the present time, many companies now use the employee-to-employee learning model. And one of the best documented examples is Google. In their documentation, Google mentions that 80 percent of all training at Google is delivered through this peer-to-peer model. 

The question is, how can you make peer-to-peer work?

Key factors for a successful P2P setup 

Going through examples of how today’s famous brands and organizations run their employee development programs, I found that their programs were successful as they were clear on these three aspects. 

So, before we go on to how you can implement peer-to-peer learning, make sure you have the following prerequisites. 

• Clear purpose 

I’m sure you are not looking to implement peer-to-peer learning just to end up not following the procedure after some time. For your employees to truly follow through, make sure they understand that learning is not a side initiative. 

It is a part of how your company operates and grows. That message needs to be consistent and aligned with your culture and core values.

At Google, for example, every Noogler knows that they are expected to learn, and it is part of their job. Similarly, at Microsoft, under Satya Nadella’s leadership, the company shifted from a “know-it-all” culture to a “learn-it-all” one.

• Safe environment 

A safe environment means more than just being “nice.” It means building psychological safety, where people feel comfortable being open, curious, and even wrong.

Google’s Project Aristotle study found that psychological safety was the number one factor that determined team success. Teams, where people felt safe to speak their minds without fear of embarrassment, were more innovative, learned faster, and collaborated better. 

So, if you want peer-to-peer learning to be efficient, make sure you provide that environment, too. 

At Pixar, for example, internal development is built into the company’s culture through Pixar University. According to Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar, the goal was never just skill-building. It was to create an environment where people continuously grow and feel safe sharing ideas. It is one of the key takeaways from his book “Creativity, Inc.”.

• Recognition and visibility

When people see that sharing knowledge is valued, encouraged, and even rewarded, they are far more likely to engage and contribute. It does not take a genius to understand that. 

But recognition does not always need to be monetary. It can be as simple as leadership acknowledging knowledge sharers in company meetings, internal newsletters, or peer shoutouts in team chats.

I will share more examples of how you can recognize your employees further in this article. 

How to implement peer-to-peer learning in your workplace 

Assuming your organization developed procedures for the factors we discussed. 

What is the next step for setting up the P2P setup process itself? This stage is all about structure:

• Who should participate?
• How do you match peers effectively?
• And how do you keep it consistent over time?

Let’s start with the most critical part: choosing the right people to lead.

Select the peers who will become the mentors 

“Managers are the ones to teach”. This is one common misconception when it comes to starting peer-to-peer learning in the organization. In reality, you need peer “mentors”, not manager hats. 

• Let peers nominate peers 

You can run a survey among the employees and let them suggest who can become a mentor. To make that easy, you can even develop criteria and a description. So, the employees have a better idea of what the process should be like. 

What the nomination does is reveal people who have the necessary expertise to teach. 

• Identify the natural helpers 

These are the employees who already support colleagues informally. For example, they explain a process during a Slack thread or volunteer to walk a teammate through a new system. Often, they are not managers. 

• Orient yourself on their interest level 

The level of expertise is not the only decisive factor. In fact, it is better to find someone who is self-motivated to participate than someone who has much experience. 

And, at the end of the process, you want to assess their experience levels as well. 

At Google, when they choose the candidates, they give a demonstration on teaching any topic. Then the team decides if they can participate in the program. 

Tip: Make the selection process transparent. Let others know why certain individuals were chosen and highlight their strengths.

Support the peer-mentors with the necessary resources 

Even the most knowledgeable employee will struggle if they are left to figure everything out on their own.

A strong support system gives your mentors structure, tools, and the confidence to deliver real value.

• Run a workshop for them 

As you choose the candidates, start with a workshop or onboarding session. This is not about teaching them what they already know. It is about showing them how to teach it. 

So, help them develop facilitation skills, give guidance on how to structure a session, and offer tips for dealing with common challenges (for example, quiet groups or time management). Also, let mentors practice leading a mini-session and get feedback from their peers.

• Help them with training resources 

Create a resource hub for mentors to find resources, such as

• Templates for planning sessions
• Course templates
• Examples of past internal trainings
• FAQs about peer facilitation
• Communication guides and checklists 

You also want to take the administrative burden from them. If you can afford staff for all that, it would be for the better. 

• Give them the tools and software

Ask what your employee-mentors need to deliver and document their learning sessions. This could be:

• A shared calendar to schedule sessions
• Access to Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or a virtual whiteboard
• A platform to track attendance or feedback 

Or you can always use a Learning Management System (LMS) that does all of this. At Salesforce uses its own internal platform, Trailhead. It is where they deliver peer-led content and track progress across teams. It is integrated, accessible, and part of the flow of work.

The good news is, you do not need to develop your own platform. Uteach makes it easy to launch and manage your peer learning program, without getting buried in admin. You can organize sessions, track progress, and share resources, all in one place.

Create the groups or pairs 

Another challenging part of peer-to-peer learning is managing who learns with whom. And pairing usually depends on your goals, team size, and how formal you want the program to be. But what most companies do is that they make groups based on

• Match based on learning goals.
• Cross-departmental value
• Communication styles and availability of employees

So, you can have 3-5 people for one group. Or, if you can afford it, have pairs. 

Here are some ways you can pair or group your team. 

• Buddy system, especially for your onboarding processes. In this case, the mentor helps them feel comfortable in the team, understand their role better, and perform key tasks. 
• Learning circles, where you have the facilitator and the presenters. The facilitator, in this case, your employee mentor, formulates the presenter group. And the group prepares a presentation on the solution to the current problem the team is facing. And the other groups listen to each other. 
• Themed groups, where you include the employees who work on developing a specific skill, like communication, design, etc. 

Implement a reward system 

If you want to make a rewarding system transparent, set different milestones for the mentors. For example, it can be based on how many sessions they conducted. 

It is up to you if you want the employees to know about the exact milestones or not. You can also

• Feature the peer mentors in company newsletters, on Slack channels, or during all-hands meetings
• Offer access to further development opportunities or free leadership training
• Provide small, tangible rewards for those who actively participate 

For example, Typeform uses "typecoins," which employees exchange for gift cards or cash. Also, they do Spontaneous Applause rituals, where teams clap for achievements. Apple, on the other hand, offers cash bonuses, stock rewards, and product discounts as part of its employee recognition program. 

Results you can expect from P2P learning 

Peer-to-peer learning has proved its advantages and benefits not once. As a result of this strategy, you can achieve higher employee engagement, increase collaboration and trust among employees, and so much more. 

Let’s review some of the benefits. 

• Improved employee engagement

P2P learning encourages active participation, as employees take ownership of their own learning and development. According to a study by Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% higher profitability, 17% higher productivity, and 10% higher customer satisfaction. 

• Cost-effective training opportunities

Traditional training programs can be expensive, especially when considering external consultants, course materials, and time away from work. P2P learning, however, can significantly reduce costs as it relies on internal resources. It makes use of employees’ existing expertise, which lowers the need for costly external trainers or off-site programs. 

• Better employee retention 

Employees are more likely to stay at a company where they feel they are continually learning and growing. Peer-to-peer learning contributes to a culture of continuous improvement, which is attractive to top talent. Employees who feel that their growth is supported are more likely to stay engaged and committed long term.

How does that matter? Well, a report by LinkedIn found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career development. 

Make peer-to-peer learning more structured with Uteach 

As you have seen, P2P learning brings numerous benefits to both employees and organizations. It enhances engagement, improves knowledge sharing, boosts productivity, and fosters a collaborative culture. 

But to make it truly work at scale, you need the right system behind it.  And Uteach is a perfect solution. 

With Uteach, you can 

• easily create and manage peer groups, 
• track progress, 
• ensure that mentors and mentees have access to the resources they need

The platform offers seamless communication tools, progress tracking, and the ability to create courses and automate coaching sessions. 

Ready to see how Uteach can streamline your peer-to-peer learning program? Book a demo today and discover how our platform can help you create a more organized, measurable, and impactful learning experience for your employees.