Elevating the Discussion Around Invisible Disabilities

Creating inclusive work environments that recognize and accommodate invisible disabilities like hearing loss can significantly improve the quality of life and job performance for affected individuals.

• By Sabrina Lee
• Aug 09, 2024

Discussion about invisible disabilities is incredibly important for improving the lives of those who have them. The challenges of an invisible disability go beyond the effects of the disability itself because individuals who have them are also often required to self-identify and self-advocate for accommodations. While self-advocacy can be an important skill, it can also be an exhausting, repetitive task. Being in a work environment that recognizes this and works to foster inclusive environments early, allows individuals to thrive whether they have an invisible disability or not.

Among the most common invisible disabilities is hearing loss. Talking openly about hearing loss—including its signs, symptoms and solutions like hearing aids—helps normalize it. By recognizing hearing loss instead of ignoring it until someone self-identifies, we can create accepting and inclusive environments. Workplaces can implement various reasonable accommodations to support individuals with hearing loss, helping them to excel. 

Additionally, accommodations like captioned meetings, better acoustic environments and clearer communication in different modalities can create better experiences for all employees whether they have hearing loss or not. Therefore, it's important to have discussions that highlight the hidden challenges these individuals face and what pre-emptive steps can be taken to mitigate them.

Challenges Faced by Workers with Hearing Impairments

To start, some obvious challenges arise when one has hearing loss. Environments where there are many meetings or lecture-style presentations can be difficult to follow when one has hearing loss, especially without any additional aids like hearing aids or captions. Combine that with a noisy work environment like on a job site or a place with background noise like music or machinery, and the ability to communicate can be heavily impacted. Also, while sleek hard surfaces are often more aesthetically pleasing and easier to clean, they provide many surfaces for sound to bounce and reflect off. When that happens, any speech a person wants to hear can become clouded and muddied. 

For a person with hearing loss, listening in these types of environments can be exhausting and frustrating. In many cases they may attempt to avoid environments where they have the most trouble and choose to stick to roles with fewer communication needs, which may limit their job mobility. 

Additionally, individuals with untreated hearing loss may be unfairly perceived as less intelligent compared to their peers with normal or corrected hearing. This negative—and false—stigma arises for a few different reasons.

First, in situations where the individual frequently needs things repeated, others may assume they lack understanding of the concepts. If the person with hearing loss has become embarrassed from asking for repetition, they may instead fill in missed gaps based on their knowledge of the subject. In those situations, it's possible their assumptions are based on incorrectly or incompletely heard information, resulting in mistakes that others could perceive as a lack of intelligence. These challenges can hinder their opportunities for promotions and other career advancements within the office environment.

Another reason for this stigma arises from a complex discussion regarding hearing loss and dementia. Recent research has found that individuals who are at risk of developing dementia may have increased risk if they have hearing loss that goes untreated with hearing aids. This finding is often discussed as one very compelling reason to wear hearing aids, as treatment of hearing loss is a significant modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, the findings are sometimes misunderstood. 

It’s important to emphasize that having hearing loss does not mean a person also has dementia. When someone in the workplace has challenges related to hearing, that alone does not mean they will also have difficulties with memory or recall. Carrying this incorrect assumption means that people with hearing loss must work harder to build credibility in the workplace and may choose not to self-identify for fear that the stigma could limit their career opportunities. 

Individuals with hearing loss face financial obstacles as well. A study from the Better Hearing Institute in 2007 revealed that as severity of hearing loss increases, so does the pay gap between those with normal hearing and those with hearing loss. With hearing loss at its most severe, the average wage loss was calculated as up to $12,000 per year. This gap, however, improves when people with hearing loss choose to wear hearing aids, meaning that treating hearing loss can positively affect an individual's earning potential.

In attempting to hide the disability for fear of judgment, individuals may choose not to wear hearing aids or other assistive listening devices. This is contrary to the goals of hearing better now, mitigating risks in the future and improving earning potential now.

Workplaces providing reasonable accommodations can enhance communication and help employees maximize their full potential at work, all while destigmatizing hearing loss to their employees.

Strategies for Cultivating an Inclusive Work Environment

When there is a breakdown in communication in the workplace, two parties can act to implement the most effective change. Those two parties are the employer who can make changes to the environment, and the individual by can address the hearing loss itself. 

The following strategies can be used by an employer to cultivate an inclusive work environment:

• Equip large conference rooms or meeting spaces with loop systems, allowing individuals with hearing aids to directly connect to the sound system and receive audio through their devices.
• Offer a variety of communication devices, including specialized phones tailored to the needs of individuals with hearing loss.
• Ensure that large conference rooms or meeting spaces equipped with microphones are looped, enabling individuals with hearing aids to directly connect to the sound system and receive the signal through their devices.
• Implement captioning options or signed language interpreting for video calls and meetings to enhance accessibility for all participants.
• Make sure the interior design does not heavily incorporate hard reflective surfaces that can introduce distracting noise in the environment and instead consider carpeting and acoustic treatment in rooms where communication is important.

The following strategies can be used by an employee in their own work environment:

• Face the person being spoken to and remain in a well-lit space to utilize facial cues for more effective communication.
• In noisy spaces, relocate to a quieter area before discussing important information.
• Seek out hearing loss intervention. Wearing hearing aids is one modifiable factor that can help increase access to speech in the work environment. 
• Utilize accessories with hearing aids in more difficult environments. Modern hearing aids have a lot of options like remote microphones, direct streaming capabilities from phones and computers as well as other tools to help deliver sound directly to the ear.

Occupations at Higher Risk for Hearing Loss

Certain occupations are at a higher risk of inducing hearing loss, primarily due to prolonged exposure to loud noise levels. Factors contributing to higher risks in these jobs include:

• Noise intensity and duration. Jobs that involve consistent exposure to loud noises, such as construction, manufacturing, and mining, increase the likelihood of hearing damage.

• Lack of hearing protection. Occupations where adequate hearing protection is not consistently used or enforced, such as agriculture or entertainment industries, pose higher risks.

• Environmental factors. Work environments with high levels of ambient noise, such as airports or shipyards, contribute to the risk of hearing loss.

• Sudden loud sounds. Jobs that involve sudden, loud noises, like firefighting or military service, can also lead to hearing damage over time.

Implementing proper safety measures and hearing protection protocols can help mitigate these risks in high-risk occupations. Following the recommendations of organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is paramount to ensuring employees are not only in safe working conditions but safe listening conditions as well.

Preventive Measures for Mitigating Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

Employers need to understand hearing loss and provide “reasonable accommodations,” as identified by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This is an employer's responsibility, and these accommodations can involve various measures, such as ensuring meeting rooms have optimal acoustics and locating the offices or cubicles of employees with hearing loss in quieter areas. Providing appropriate headsets and phones for individuals with hearing loss is essential. 

Additionally, organizing hearing screenings conducted by audiologists for employees can help identify any issues early on. Normalizing conversations about hearing loss is key to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. Depending on the nature of the business, companies should refer to OSHA guidelines to determine if they need a hearing conservation program.

Promoting Open Discussions About Hearing Loss

Someone without hearing loss may assume that it is not extremely common. However, according to estimates from the National Council on Aging, about 60.7 million Americans ages 12 and up are currently experiencing some level of hearing loss. With so many people facing these challenges, employers should anticipate the need for these accommodations to be high and be prepared proactively to provide them. Destigmatizing hearing loss starts with initiating conversations, conducting professional screenings for all employees and sharing information about available support for those with hearing impairments.

Additionally, ensure that discussions about hearing aid coverage are included during benefit reviews and open enrollment periods. Normalize the topics of hearing aids and hearing loss, making it as commonplace as wearing glasses. Although healthcare benefits often do not cover hearing aids and related services, these can be added as supplementary coverage. Employers should consider including coverage for hearing testing and hearing aids as part of their benefits package.

Lastly, it’s important to highlight that individuals who have hearing loss have the same capacity to work as effectively and mindfully as any of their counterparts without hearing loss. So much of what makes the workplace special is having teams made up of different perspectives and lived experiences collaborating towards a common goal. Providing accommodation allows people from all walks of life to have a seat at the table.