Coping with Hearing Loss at Work

Have you or a loved one experienced hearing loss? If so, you know that it can affect daily life, especially in the workplace. Hearing loss can make it hard to follow conversations, understand instructions or participate in meetings. However, there are ways to help individuals with hearing loss perform their jobs effectively. For example, providing hearing aids, using video calls with captions and offering written instructions can make a big difference. These accommodations are important because they help ensure that everyone can contribute and succeed at work, regardless of their hearing ability.

Be Open About Your Needs

Being open about your situation ensures that everyone does what they can to help you work better. Something as simple as asking your colleagues to look at you when they speak to you can help, but you may also find that your employer is willing to make accommodations including pre-written meeting notes or allowing you to use your phone with something like a transcribing app to help you follow conversations.

Choose a Seat That Suits You

Choosing the right seat at work can help you cope with hearing loss. Try to sit in a spot where you can clearly see everyone’s faces, as this will help you read lips and see facial expressions. Avoid sitting near noisy areas like the break room or a busy hallway, as background noise can make it harder to hear. Sitting close to the person speaking or the front of the room during meetings can also make it easier to follow conversations. By picking a seat that suits your needs, you can better understand what’s going on and stay engaged in your work.

Use Non-Verbal Tools

Utilizing nonverbal tools, including apps, can significantly assist individuals coping with hearing loss. Maintaining eye contact with speakers provides visual cues that complement auditory input, while observing facial expressions and body language enhances understanding during conversations. Apps designed for captioning or real-time transcription can also be invaluable, converting spoken words into text for easier comprehension. Additionally, gestures and hand signals remain effective ways to convey information without relying solely on verbal communication.

Seek Hearing Aids

Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of mild or severe hearing loss, contacting an audiologist about the possibility of hearing aids can help you when at work. That’s because professionally fitted hearing aids can make it easier for you to follow workplace conversations even when multiple people are speaking.

What’s more, when you have hearing aids, you can work with your employer to make your work life easier in additional ways. This may include the use of a hearing aid loop in meetings and, in the case of Bluetooth hearing aids, could even see you linking your smartphone to your hearing aids themselves to ensure better communication. This will drastically improve your work life and your professionalism and is a benefit that you can enjoy by contacting an audiologist today.

If you want to learn more about how you can cope with hearing loss at work, or believe you are experiencing hearing loss contact an audiologist. They will recommend solutions that meet your needs.