There are nine million working age adults in the UK with hearing loss in one or both ears. Chances are, this includes a colleague, someone in your team, or your manager.
Despite this, many people who are deaf or have hearing loss still have challenging experiences at work. A quarter of deaf people told RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) they have experienced negative attitudes and behaviour from their work colleagues. A figure that almost doubles for British Sign Language (BSL) users, according to our research.
Encouragingly, our research also shows the general public wants to communicate better with people who are deaf or have hearing loss – but often don’t know how. The good news is that by following some simple tips, you and your organisation can begin creating a more inclusive and welcoming workplace.
Start by asking the right questions
Have you asked how your colleagues with hearing loss prefer to communicate? Do your meetings, communication channels and workplace practices reflect their needs?
For internal communicators, managers, or anyone shaping workplace messaging or culture, accessibility must sit at the heart of your approach. Without it, colleagues can be unintentionally excluded before the conversation has even begun.
Learn how to communicate better with colleagues
Hearing loss affects one in three of us, but all too often it isn’t spoken about at work. This can make it harder for people to get the support they need.
Using clear, inclusive language is a simple way to make your workplace more welcoming for colleagues who are deaf or have hearing loss. For example:
- Avoid jargon or complex abbreviations
- Speak at a steady pace
- Avoid talking over others.
These small changes can make a big difference.
Simple tips for speaking to someone who is deaf or has hearing loss
Our simple tips for speaking to someone who is deaf or has hearing loss are a good way to get started and feel more confident in communicating more inclusively in the office:
- Get their attention: You can use simple gestures, like waving, to get someone’s attention.
- Face the person you’re speaking to: Many people rely on lip reading to some degree to understand conversations, so it’s important to face them when speaking. Speak directly to the person rather than their interpreter, if they have one.
- Be patient: Don’t be afraid to repeat, rephrase or try something different.
We know how important these tips are for any conversation to feel inclusive. Jack, 33, works in financial services and has lived with hearing loss since childhood. He is now part of a network of 60 colleagues in his workplace who experience hearing loss and shares how important small actions like these simple tips can be to make any conversation in the workplace feel inclusive.
Jack said:
“I’ve unfortunately had times where I’ve felt excluded in previous roles in other companies, especially in discussions where I was overlooked. It was heartbreaking to feel invisible, as if my voice doesn’t matter. However, I’ve witnessed beautiful moments of inclusivity in my current workplace. One colleague even took the time to learn BSL to communicate with me during meetings; that effort makes me feel truly seen and appreciated. Simple actions in the workplace can really transform interactions.”
Learn some basic British Sign Language (BSL)
BSL (British Sign Language) is the most common form of sign language in the UK. It involves a combination of hand shapes, lip patterns, facial expressions and shoulder movements and its grammar is very different from English. For many people who are deaf, BSL is their first language.
Learning a few basic BSL phrases, such as greeting someone or offering them a cup of tea, can help colleagues feel more included.
Make meetings accessible
Meetings can be challenging for anyone who is deaf or has hearing loss, but there are many practical ways you can make them inclusive. Here are our top tips:
- Check communication needs early: When planning a meeting, ask whether participants need support, such as a BSL interpreter, automated captions, a speech-to-text reporter, or a written transcript.
- Give as much notice as possible: Try to schedule meetings with as much notice as possible to allow colleagues to organise the support they need.
- Prepare for a smooth meeting: Send an agenda in advance, test technology, schedule regular breaks and avoid loud environments
- Set ground rules for speaking etiquette: Remind all attendees to speak one at a time, so that colleagues can follow the conversation.
- Use visual cues: In online meetings, encourage use of the “raise hand” function. In in-person meetings, ask people to visibly raise their hand, gesture, or say the name of the person they’re handing over to before speaking, so colleagues who lipread know who is speaking next.
Lead by example
As communicators, we have the opportunity and responsibility to model the inclusive approaches we want to see across our organisations. For more advice about how to help your team become more deaf aware, you can sign up to receive RNID’s free Inclusive Workplaces resources on our website. Join us in showing that supporting colleagues who are deaf or have hearing loss really does matter.
