Hearing loss can affect all parts of our life, from not hearing your partner at home to struggling to understand our peers during work meetings. Finding ways to cope with your hearing loss during work can help remove some of the associated stress and may lead to more energy and greater enjoyment of your job.
Approximately 15% of U.S. adults experience some trouble hearing. Because hearing loss is so widespread, workplaces are often equipped to make accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Workplace accommodations may include but are not limited to:
- Assistive listening devices
- Open captioning
- Closed captioning
- Written communication
In addition to employer-provided accommodations, there are personal changes or requests you can make to have the most stress-free experience possible while working with hearing loss.
Let’s discuss some personal changes you can make to remove some of the stress of hearing loss at work.
Wear Hearing Aids
Hearing aids provide many benefits to help improve your workday including but not limited to:
- Amplified speech sounds. Hearing aids can recognize the difference between speech sounds and background noise as well as its directionality. This feature will help you better understand communication between you and your peers.
- Ambient noise suppression. By suppressing ambient noise, you will be able to focus on the important information you need to do your job well. The ambient noise suppression feature may be especially helpful during lunchtime meetings at Carson Kitchen. Background noise will be minimized, and you will be able to better understand your coworkers.
If you do not currently wear hearing aids, consider seeing an audiologist to see if the devices are right for you.
Pick a Good Seat
In-person meetings can be hectic and confusing with hearing loss. Picking a good seat central to the speaker or conversation will help you better understand the content. Choosing a good seat can also be paired with employer-provided assistive listening devices or captioning services.
Talk to Your Coworkers About Your Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is extremely personal, and you’re under no obligation to discuss it with your peers, but letting them know about your hearing needs can help establish a stronger working relationship. You can ask your coworkers to look directly at you while they speak or provide you with written notes or agendas before or after meetings. It is completely your decision who to share information about your hearing loss with. Consider your own pros and cons in sharing your information to help you decide what to share.
For more tips on managing hearing loss, contact Nevada Ear + Sinus Institute today to speak to one of our specialists.
Call Nevada Ear + Sinus Institute at (702) 735-7668 for more information or to schedule an appointment.