Everyone wants a good work environment. Work from home has given many people the chance to get on with their jobs by managing stressful interactions with more freedom. If you, or your colleagues, are losing your hearing then wherever you work will have more challenges to manage. If you supervise a team that includes staff who are hard of hearing then you can create a better work environment for them, and for yourself, with tailored support. The best solution is to start wearing a hearing aid that will restore your hearing and work capabilities.

Working with hearing loss 

Back to work after Chinese New Year may entail facing the same routine with the same challenges. Why not start the New Year off with some different strategies and see what works best. A new study in the Journal of Management builds on previous research that found that employees with hearing loss experience isolation at work. The findings suggest that the severity of an employee's hearing loss influences the degree to which they rely on professional connections. Researchers found that employees with more severe hearing loss are more likely to experience difficult and frustrating interactions with colleagues and find it more challenging to build and maintain professional connections and often protect themselves by putting less importance on professional connections. When employees care less and are less sensitive their sense of isolation is not as high. This can be resolved with tailored support by supervisors.

Tailored hearing support

Brent Lyons of York University, whose hearing loss fluctuates from severe to profound to moderate, says his needs vary and it's helpful when supervisors are open and flexible for him to request certain things. In one meeting, he might need to be seated next to the speaker; in another he might want captions on a screen. “I really appreciate when supervisors are open and touch base on a regular basis: 'How are things going? What can we do to make sure that you can fully participate?'"

David Baldridge of Oregon State University, who has experienced full hearing, deafness and now restored hearing with cochlear implants, said focusing on results, not how the work is done, is also important. Baldridge said that organising a one-on-one meeting in a quiet location is more effective for an employee with hearing loss than trying to introduce them to people at a cocktail party. The researchers are clear that managers can play a critical role in making them feel included by understanding their abilities, perceptions and limitations and helping them build professional connections. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for a free hearing check at Clarisound. Wearing a hearing aid will restore your hearing and your quality of life, personally and professionally.