According to data from the National Deaf Center, in 2017 only 53.3% of deaf people were employed as opposed to 75.8% of hearing people. This shows a concerning employment gap of 22.5%. Due to the communication barrier that deafness at the workplace can create, individuals with hearing impairment can struggle to achieve their professional goals. This is not due to lack of effort, but rather a result of conscious or unconscious biases that recruitment managers still foster and businesses that are not prepared to support deaf employees. Although the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been specifically created to prevent discrimination based on disability, the laws it includes are not easy to enforce in the corporate world.
The challenges that people on the deafness spectrum face in the business world are many. Being able to acquire a satisfactory job position is arguably the biggest one. Lots of people with hearing loss may require an interpreter to support them during the interview process, which can create difficulties in case the interviewer is not educated on what this involves or is not willing or prepared to provide one. As a result, they might lean towards other candidates solely on the basis that they are not hearing impaired.
Experiencing a lack of confidence career-wise and a general sense of insecurity at the workplace is also a huge issue for the hearing-impaired community. The fear of missing out on career opportunities or promotions due to the impairment is often present, as well as the vulnerability involved in a hearing aid potentially malfunctioning while at work. This can lead to increased amounts of work-related stress and anxiety, which has the power to affect the mental wellbeing of hearing-impaired employees in a profoundly negative way.
Another issue faced by hard of hearing workers on a daily basis is the isolation they often face at work. Although office chit-chat might seem inconsequential, it has been documented to be an important part of employees’ day-to-day work experience, providing an uplifting effect and increasing feelings of well-being. Often, individuals with hearing loss are robbed of this small, yet significant benefit, since they may not be able to hear what is being said, especially if their fellow employees are not educated on effective communication with the hard of hearing.
Communication may be an even bigger challenge in case of an open-plan office. Background noise is certainly an issue for persons on the deafness spectrum in those types of spaces as it can be amplified by the hearing aid, making face-to-face conversations difficult.
The fact that most businesses are so poorly prepared to support hearing impaired employees is not only a breach of ADA regulations, but also results in missing out on the expertise and skills individuals on the deafness spectrum are able to provide. As the concept of Deaf Gain maintains, society should be encouraged to view deafness from a positive perspective, focusing on the pros that being hearing impaired can contribute, instead of the cons.
There are many unique benefits that the hard of hearing can bring to the table. Due to a life of constantly having to tackle different issues related to their condition, they are incredibly adaptable and effective in coming up with alternative resolutions. In addition, they can increase employee retention and encourage perceptions of the company as inclusive to all.
Are you currently struggling with hearing impairment at the workplace? If you are in need of some extra assistance with being able to hear clearly at the office, HAA are here to help. We offer a brilliant range of FM hearing systems, Bluetooth hearing aid streamers and infrared wireless devices that can transform the way you interact with the outside world. Browse our shop today and improve your work life quality with our amazing solutions!
