Managing Hearing Loss at the Workplace

Hearing loss can change your experience of the workplace. You might need additional provisions to help you during meetings and conversations. But, with some preparation and communication, managing hearing loss is possible. Engage with your employer and colleagues today with these tips for managing hearing loss in the workplace.

Tell Your Employer

You have no legal obligation to tell your employer about your hearing loss; however, it can help make communicating and getting additional assistance (if needed) easier. If you feel comfortable, tell your employer about your hearing loss and what you need to work in the environment. This could be something as simple as a desk or cubicle in a quieter area or captioning during presentations.

Find the Right Seat for Meetings

Sitting next to the speaker at a meeting can help you pick up facial cues and lip-reading. You may also want to sit across from them to see their responses, as most people direct queries to the meeting chair. If you find a person challenging to hear, you may also want to sit closer to them to pick up what they say. In a meeting room, avoid facing a blind or window, as the glare can impact your view of the speakers and their facial movements.

If you are in an online meeting, ask the chairperson to turn on recordings and transcriptions where possible, so you have something to refer back to later. Some meeting tools may also have closed captions you can turn on and follow during a call.

Ask for Agendas

Before an online or digital meeting, ask for a written agenda to help you understand what will happen before a call. If this isn’t possible, ask for meeting minutes, or write your own and send them to your manager or a trusted colleague to review and see if you’ve correctly understood the meeting topic.

Use Speech-to-Text Converters

Your employer is legally obligated to support you, including installing speech-to-text converters on your working devices. However, you can also use your smartphone if you haven’t disclosed your hearing loss to your employer. This can help you with real-time translations for phone calls but could also be used in face-to-face meetings.

You can also manage your hearing loss by sitting near speakers during meetings and using closed captions or transcriptions for digital calls. Ask for written materials wherever you can before and after meetings to help you prepare and check what you’ve understood during a session. Visit a hearing health professional for advice and support on hearing loss. With the right hearing aids, you can engage with employers and colleagues in the workplace.