Sensory awareness breaks down barriers in the workplace
People who are hard of hearing, Deaf or Deafblind are often described as having a hidden disability. Hearing loss isn’t always visible, but it can still create real challenges in everyday communication. But small, thoughtful actions can make a meaningful difference, particularly in the workplace. Here, Deborah Holden, ECL’s Sensory Local Business Manager, shares her own experience as a Deaf person and highlights what employers can do to better support people with hearing loss.
This year, Deaf Awareness Week focuses on breaking down communication barriers and creating more inclusive environments. The theme, ‘Right to understand – together, we break barriers’ is a timely reminder of how important clear, accessible communication is for everyone. This year’s theme resonates strongly with me, as it centres on something I care deeply about: inclusive and accessible communication.
Hearing loss is far more common than many people realise. One in three adults in the UK are Deaf, has hearing loss or tinnitus, and around 9 million working‑age adults have hearing loss in one or both ears. Regrettably, according to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), Deaf people are less likely to be employed than their hearing peers.
This gap doesn’t have to exist. With better awareness of the support available, and consideration and inclusion of auditory challenges within accessibility audits, many of the perceived barriers can be removed.
Deaf accessibility in business
When organisations hear ‘accessibility’ they think of wheelchair ramps, screen readers, and colour contrast, none of which apply to Deaf people. Sadly, deaf accessibility is rarely part of the conversation; we live in a world that was built for people that can hear.
Accessibility frameworks such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and ISO standards focus heavily on visual, motor and cognitive access with hearing access only partially addressed. Things like phone-only fraud reporting, audio only fire alarms in buildings and not having mechanisms for Deaf employees to participate in meetings without an interpreter are sadly still the ‘norm.’
My experience of looking for work
As someone who is profoundly Deaf, I have experienced reluctance from prospective employers simply because of my hearing loss.
At one point, I even tested this. When I disclosed that I was Deaf on my CV, I received no interview invitations. When I removed that information on another application, interviews followed. This is an experience many Deaf people recognise and find discouraging.
For people with disabilities, the recruitment process can feel frustrating and disheartening. While this isn’t always intentional, a lack of awareness can lead employers to make assumptions based on misinformation rather than facts.
Support doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated
One of the most common misconceptions is that employing someone with a sensory disability is costly or difficult. In reality, it often isn’t.
In most cases, all of the costs for any reasonable adjustments are covered by the government‑funded Access to Work (ATW) scheme.
Designed to help remove barriers in the workplace, ATW support is available to anyone with additional needs (such as a physical or mental health condition, physical disabilities, learning disabilities, learning difficulties and neurodivergent conditions). Through ATW employees with hearing loss may be eligible for funded support such as:
- Specialist equipment.
- Communication support, including interpreters both at work and for job interviews.
- Assistive technology.
Many organisations also already have access to built‑in tools that improve accessibility, including features in Microsoft Office, such as live captions and transcription.
Having a disability does not mean someone cannot do the job. It may simply mean the job needs to be done in a slightly different way - and that’s where inclusion begins.
Inclusion benefits organisations too
Data from the RNID shows that organisations that actively support disability inclusion report:
- 30% higher profit margins
- Improved productivity among supported deaf employees
- Greater diversity of ideas and skills
Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s good business!
The ’ideal’ picture of deaf accessibility within a business looks something like this:
- Processes that have less reliance on phone calls as the only options for example, fraud and security checks.
- Emergency and safety systems with visual and tactile alerts in addition to audible ones.
- Digital products with captions, transcripts and non-audio alternatives for all content.
- Recruitment and HR processes that do not depend on spoken interviews or phone references.
- Internal communication systems that work for Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees.
- Physical environments with visual wayfinding, alert systems and communications support.
If businesses could aim to achieve even some of these elements for their Deaf employees, their working lives would be considerably easier.
What employers can do better - my top five tips:
1. Complete workplace assessments
Every employee with a sensory disability should be offered a workplace assessment. This helps identify reasonable adjustments and ensures people can work comfortably and effectively. This can be funded by ATW.
2. Offer non-audible alternatives where possible
Provide transcription apps if not built into your existing IT to enable Deaf employees to take part in meetings without third party assistance where possible, have visual as well as audible notifications and alerts on systems and safely alarms.
3. Build disability confidence
Confidence comes from understanding. When employers and managers know what support is available, employing someone with a sensory disability feels far less daunting.
4. Invest in sensory awareness training - for everyone
Not just managers or HR teams. Inclusion works best when everyone understands sensory differences and knows how to communicate effectively.
5. Ask, don’t assume
A simple question can make a big difference:
“What can I do to best support you?”
People are much more likely to feel supported when they are asked, rather than having others make assumptions.
A note for managers
If you don’t ask, you can’t know how best to support someone. Many managers avoid these conversations because they worry about intruding, but if an employee has shared their disability, it is usually welcome to discuss what helps. Personally, I would always rather be asked. It shows awareness, respect and care.
This approach doesn’t just apply to hearing loss. It’s relevant to many factors that affect how people work, including mental health, neurodivergence, mobility needs and visual impairments.
Awareness really can break down barriers. You just have to hear some of the feedback our sensory trainers receive from organisations to know this is true. Small things can make a big difference; we’ve seen companies make simple adjustments that have transformed the workplace experience for their colleagues with sensory disabilities.
This in turn has a positive impact on the job satisfaction and productivity of employees with sensory disabilities, while also enhancing an organisation’s reputation as a considerate employer. Which is why I passionately believe that sensory awareness training would be mandatory in every organisation!
How ECL can help
ECL’s Sensory Service supports people who are partially sighted, blind, hard of hearing, Deaf or Deafblind to live independently, safely and with dignity.
We also support businesses and organisations through:
- CPD‑accredited Sensory Awareness Training
- Sighted Guide and Communication Awareness Training
- British Sign Language courses and workshops
- Accessibility audits
Our training helps organisations understand how sensory loss affects individuals and identifies practical steps to create genuinely inclusive workplaces.