In this blog, we will cover:
More than 18 million adults in the UK are deaf or have hearing loss. Research from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) shows that more than half of people who are deaf or have hearing loss have felt like they’ve been treated unfairly at work and experienced teasing and mocking from their colleagues.
‘Most people who are deaf of have hearing loss have felt stressed at work because of their hearing loss.
People worry they will be treated unfairly if they disclose their hearing loss.
Hearing loss and deafness may be a contributor to people deciding to retire early.
Over a quarter of people polled (RNID 2023) stated they would feel uncomfortable being told to manage someone who was deaf of had hearing loss.’ RNID
1 in 8 adults of working age have some form of hearing loss. Being deaf or having hearing loss should not be a barrier to excelling in most jobs. In recognition of how common hearing loss is in society, organisations need to normalise open discussions around hearing loss and deafness. Employees with hearing loss or deafness can thrive in the workplace when there is a culture of inclusion and understanding.
Seizing the opportunity of topical dates such as World Hearing Day (March), Deaf Awareness Week (May) and Deaf Awareness Month (September) can support raising awareness and conversations around this important topic in the workplace. This important step may encourage employees to feel more comfortable to disclose their needs. Those with hearing loss or deafness who receive good support from colleagues and supervisors at work report better perceived productivity.
Did you know our Occupational Health technicians screen for hearing loss in medical examinations? A referral to our Occupational health team could be the first step in getting an employee support if they are struggling to hear or have a known hearing impairment and you want to better understand how workplace adjustments could support them.
Communicating effectively
When communicating with someone who is deaf, hard of hearing (HoH) or has hearing loss, one of the most important things to remember is to keep trying to communicate what you are saying. It can be frustrating and isolating to be told ‘it doesn’t matter’ and could feel like you are ‘giving up’ on the person.
When speaking to someone over the phone or whilst wearing a mask/face covering:
- Face the person you are talking and speak clearly
- If you weren’t understood repeat what you said or rephrase it different, using plain language
- Move to a quieter area if there is a lot of noise around you
- Use simple gestures, where appropriate
- Write things down using pen on paper, phones/tablet or a whiteboard
- If they ask you to, speak to a relative or friend
Where lip-reading is possible:
- Make sure you have the persons attention before starting to speak
- Make sure they are facing you
- Make sure you can see their face clearly
- Ask them to speak normally and not exaggerate their lip movements
- Don’t cover your mouth whilst speaking
If on video call:
- Make use of the chat functions to clarify specific details e.g. numbers
- Use good lighting – minimal shadows on your face
- Make sure only one person speaks at a time
- Reduce background noises by muting your microphone when not speaking
- Use and stick to an agenda to provide context for what is being discussed
For those who use BSL:
- InterpreterNow is a video relay service to convert speech to BSL
- Live speech-to-text apps may be suitable for use, depending on the background noise and speed of the conversation
Our wellbeing team offers a range of webinars on hearing and wellbeing topics, get in touch to learn more.
Access to Work scheme
Access to Work is a government scheme to help people with a physical or mental health condition or disability to get or stay in work. Through the scheme you can apply for a grant to help pay for practical support with your work, support with managing mental health at work, and/or money to pay for communication support at job interviews. The type of support received will depend on your needs. It does not matter how much you earn. If you qualify for an Access to Work grant you do not have to pay it back. It is important to have awareness of this scheme, so you can share this information with those that might benefit from this support in the workplace.
Summary
It is common for working age adults to have some form of hearing loss. By breeding a culture of awareness and openness around the topic of hearing loss employees are more likely to speak up about the support they would benefit from having in the workplace. There are simple and effective communication tips you can take from this article to support inclusive communication with those who having hearing loss. There are government support schemes in place for those who would benefit from additional support to get into or remain in the workplace. This could include individuals with hearing loss, hearing impairments, or deafness.
Sources:
https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/work-job-employment/supporting-deaf-employees-staff-hearing-loss/workplace-adjustments/
https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
https://rnid.org.uk/get-involved/research-and-policy/facts-and-figures/facts-and-statements-on-employment/
Further support
- RNID – Workplace adjustments
- SpreadTheSign – Sign language dictionary
- Access to work – Apply for an access to work grant
Optima Health provide a range of occupational health and mental health interventions to help support employee wellbeing and reduce sickness absence. Contact us today to find out how Optima Health can support your health and wellbeing initiatives.