When hearing loss appears in our lives, it tends to impact a lot more than we initially imagine. Hearing loss can have a profound effect on many aspects of daily life, not least on our ability to efficiently communicate with others and accurately process information. In the workplace, these skills are essential, and it may be the first place you begin to understand that this problem will need to be addressed if you are going to be a fully productive member of the team.
If you’re new to hearing loss, here are a few tips for how to hear and be heard in the workplace.
Don’t Pretend to Hear
It’s not uncommon for those of us with hearing loss to sometimes give up trying to understand, and to simply pretend we’re hearing everything clearly. While this is never a good idea—and you can probably ask around for some “horror stories” about what happens when this goes wrong—it’s an especially bad practice at work, where pretending to hear can mean that important information is missed.
Disclose Hearing Loss Assertively
Studies have shown that those who disclose their hearing loss successfully accomplish two objectives at once: they inform the person they’re speaking with that they have hearing loss, while simultaneously offering effective techniques to communicate with them.
For example, when you inform your colleague that you have hearing loss and ask them to face you directly when speaking, they will have the proper information and tools to best communicate with you.
If you have trouble asking for accommodation in this manner, try practicing with a friend or a close coworker. It will get easier the more you do it, and as your coworkers start to understand how to make themselves understood to you, most will start to do it automatically. We’re all in this together, so make sure people know the best ways to communicate with you!
Lean On the Written Word
A CART system (Computer Assisted Realtime Transcription) can be helpful in meetings, where it can translate words onto a larger screen or your laptop, as the case may require. Captioned video calls can be used for Zoom meetings. You might ask your boss and coworkers to communicate via “chat” rather than calls or to use email more often.
Before heading into meetings, you can ask to receive the agenda so you can follow along better. Similarly, you can ask for the minutes at the end. Having a written copy of what has transpired will help you commit important information to memory, and provide a check against mishearings.
Do the Tasks for Which You’re Suited
Most jobs involve more than one specific task, but it may be that some of the tasks are less suited to you than others. For example, if you’re expected to take turns handling reception duties in a busy lobby, maybe you can negotiate for a different task. It’s not that you shouldn’t have to pull your weight, just that you can probably trade for a comparable duty that won’t be as difficult to fulfill with hearing loss.
Know Your Rights
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, your place of employment is required to provide “reasonable accommodations” for your hearing loss. This could include a sign language interpreter, technology to facilitate better hearing like a loop or FM system, or simply a desk in a quieter part of the office. What is “reasonable” will have to be decided between you and your organization—but if it’s required for you to do your job, your employer must provide it.
Consider Hearing Aids
If you’re having trouble hearing and communicating at work, hearing aids may be just the thing to help you stay engaged on the job. Leaving hearing loss unaddressed and untreated could impact your earning power. A 2012 study published in Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology (2012;121[12]:771) revealed a significant difference in earnings between those who have and have not addressed hearing loss: “For those who did collect an income, individuals with hearing loss made about 25 percent less; their mean wage was $23,481, compared with $31,272 for those without that diagnosis.”
Consider visiting a professional at UpState Hearing Instruments to see if a pair of hearing aids will improve your hearing loss. A modern, high-quality pair of hearing aids can help you clearly understand speech, even when background noise is present and in other challenging hearing environments.
