Some are born with it, some are triggered by accidents or exposure to loud noises, while others develop it through ageing. Whatever the cause is, there is one thing we’re sure of—people with hearing loss can still lead fulfilling and successful lives at work. With the right support from their employers and colleagues, they can definitely still be a valuable asset to the organisation!
If you have an employee or colleague with hearing loss, here are some tips you can use to create a positive working environment for people with hearing impairment!
1. Guide for Employers
Do you have an employee who’s suffering from hearing loss? Here are some things you can do to make your workplace conducive to them.
- Make sure to place your employee in a working space where there’s minimal exposure to background noise
- Ensure that your office is built with good acoustics
- Provide support by using a variety of communication tools such as chat apps, email platforms, and video conferencing tools
- Support your employee by sponsoring them a hearing aid during their employment tenure. At Listening Lab, our hearing aids from different brands and styles are packed with advanced technologies to provide the amplification your employee needs to excel at work!
2. Guide for Colleagues
Do you know someone from work who’s having difficulties in hearing? Here’s how you can be of help to them:
- Talk clearly and slowly, but don’t shout or exaggerate your mouth movements
- Make sure they can see your face when you speak
- Keep phone calls as short as possible and confirm key points at the end of the call
- Make an effort to avoid impromptu conversations or talking over office partitions
- Be mindful of any disruptive workplace noise which may occur near their desk or in the office
3. Guide for Hearing Patients
If you are an employee with hearing loss, you may find many workplace settings to be quite challenging. Don’t be afraid to voice out your condition to your employer. Hearing loss is not a sign of weakness. It’s a medical condition that requires proper care and you have the right reasons to ask support from them.
Here are some tips you can take to inform your employer about your hearing loss.
- Speak to your employer at a time and place where you are most comfortable with
- Explain how your hearing loss affects what you hear and how it may affect your productivity at work
- Most importantly, just be open and honest
Regardless of hearing ability, all employees should be given equal opportunities to excel and maintain good health at work. So when you have someone in your organisation with hearing loss, remember to take extra effort to be respectful and helpful as employer or co-worker.
If you want to read more tips pertaining to hearing loss, head on to our blog page and feel free to scan through our previous posts!
About The Listening Lab
Listening Lab is a home-grown company whose mission is to help our clients restore their hearing to enjoy the life that they desire. Experiencing hearing loss can be detrimental to one’s quality of life. Hence we commit to providing high-quality hearing solutions.
Our hearing solutions include hearing tests and treatment and prescribing hearing aids. Clients may come to get their hearing checked, and we will assess whether hearing aids are required.
If hearing aids are required, clients can choose from a variety of the best hearing aid brands we provide. Each of the products offers unique features that complement daily use and perform well in helping our clients enjoy the life that they desire.
