Dear HR Manager from Concerned Boss
Dear HR Manager,
One of my team members has hearing loss and can find it challenging to hear meeting discussions. How can I better support this employee?
– Concerned Boss
Dear Concerned Boss,
Hearing loss is a growing health issue. By supporting your employee with hearing loss, you can increase their engagement and productivity and ensure they are fully included in meeting discussions.
Here are some ideas for you to foster an inclusive environment:
Encourage open disclosure.
Ensure that your team member feels comfortable sharing their hearing loss with the team to raise awareness.
Foster inclusive communication.
Encourage your team to remember to speak clearly and slowly, choosing well-lit, quiet meeting locations. Educate yourself and become familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Check in.
Check in with the team member regularly and offer support to challenges they are experiencing.
Here are some ideas for your company to support them and foster an inclusive environment:
- Provide necessary tools and resources: Ask HR if they can offer assistive listening devices, captioned telephones, or explore online tools to accommodate a specific communication need.
- Ensure accessible health insurance: Request HR review and share if the health insurance plan covers hearing aids or expensing costs through FSA and HSA accounts.
- Engage with supportive communities: Consider starting a CSR program or an affiliation with organizations like the Association of Late-Deafened Adults, Canadian Association of the Deaf, Hearing Loss Association of America, and the National Association of the Deaf. Consider joining global disability networks to underscore a commitment to disability inclusion.
Supporting your team member with hearing loss fosters an inclusive and diverse workplace. Your actions will positively convey that you and your company value individuals and contribute to a more equitable work environment.
Originally featured in UBA’s January 2024 HR Elements Newsletter.
