Meg is a Human Resource Director who loves what she does, leads recruitment, team development and manages all things HR at Rabin Martin.
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An estimated 48 million Americans experience hearing loss. That's about 12% of the U.S.’s working population. The degree of hearing loss can range from mild to complete loss in one or both ears. There are many different causes — some people are born with hearing loss, for others it progresses over time and sometimes it can happen quickly due to illness or an accident.
My hearing loss progressed slowly. I am not even sure when it began. For many years I worked in a noisy retail environment, so it was not unusual to strain over the noise and have non-verbal ways to communicate with my colleagues. It was easy not to recognize that I was struggling more than others. My catchphrase became, “I see you talking, but I don’t know what you are saying.”
When I missed parts of conversations at home, my family and friends would often joke that I was ignoring them again or they'd ask where I went, assuming I was too deep in thought to hear them. We all believed it; we knew I was not ignoring them on purpose. I think because my hearing loss came on very slowly, that we all attributed my behavior to my personality. We never even considered something physical was going on. Today, I know these were signs of hearing loss that nobody recognized.
I do know when it started to become noticeable that I was not hearing correctly. It began to impact my ability to communicate effectively. My teenage daughter was the first to recognize it. At first she was frustrated with me, thinking I was ignoring her. Then she started closely watching me and how I “listened” to others. She decided I was losing my hearing and then she tested her theory. She started sneaking up behind me and whispering in each ear to see when I would hear her. She was able to tell me which ear worked better and what I was able to hear and what she thought I was missing.
Meanwhile, at work, my CEO pulled me aside to let me know he had noticed that I was having a problem. Talk about a scary moment! I didn’t always hear him when he was talking to me. I was responding to verbal questions with strange answers. Instead of telling me I was not doing a good job, he focused on the struggle I was having, what the cause might be and how he could help me. I was very lucky. My supervisor realized that I might be experiencing hearing loss and responded with kindness, concern and empathy rather than questioning my capabilities or being annoyed. The mental acuity and performance abilities of those with hearing loss are sometimes called into question. It is difficult to share your challenges when you are worried about being judged negatively for them.
It was time for me to get help. The HLAA reports that “people with hearing loss wait an average of 7 years before seeking help.” Who knows how long I might have taken to address my hearing loss if others had not pointed out what they were experiencing and encouraged me to get tested. I did not know that hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition reported among adults. I had not been to an audiologist since high school.
In a world where communication is key, it is incumbent on organizations to consider how we might better support our colleagues who are living with hearing loss. Here are five ways HR can support employees who experience hearing loss.
1. Encourage open communication: HR has a unique role that helps create a safe space for employees to explore potential resources that will support their growth and development. Many support solutions are easy to provide and do not cost anything. I encourage employees to share what works best for them with their teammates. By setting expectations early on, colleagues understand how best to engage with each other.
2. Know your benefit plans and encourage your team to use them: Guide employees to company resources that are available to them. Does your medical plan have hearing-aid benefits? Does your plan cover hearing exams? Are there additional company benefits that should be considered?
3. Technology matters: Work closely with your IT and office teams to know what’s available. They can usually make recommendations on equipment and platforms. Keep a running list of what your company offers, like hearing aid compatible phones, compatible headsets or translator programs. Be aware of platforms that support technology accommodations. Many meeting platforms have standard closed caption options available. It is always ideal when employees don’t have to make special requests, go through an approval process or wait to receive equipment. Of course, there will be times when you don’t have what is needed on hand. Be ready to guide employees toward the best ways to make requests and to understand what programs are in place to support them.
4. Faces matter: Many people, like myself, rely on the ability to read lips, facial expressions and body language to fully understand what is being said. When multiple people are talking it can be very hard to follow the flow of a conversation. Some things to be mindful of include ensuring you have our attention, facing us directly when speaking, speaking clearly, not yelling (it’s not helpful for either of us), trying not to cover your mouth or chew when you are speaking, not speaking over others and checking in for understanding. Did you notice these are good things to do with everyone?
5. Standardize communication norms for the organization: By implementing inclusive ways to communicate more effectively, we can proactively support a better culture for everyone. Utilize closed captions when creating or sharing video, provide all important information in writing, circulate written materials in advance and share written debriefs with action items after meetings.
Everyone’s needs are different. The best thing we can all do is to ask our colleagues what they need and how they prefer to communicate.
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