The importance of hearing health in non-noisy workplaces: Why employers should provide hearing tests

It’s quite commonplace when talking about hearing tests at work the natural assumption is they are only required in noisy industries. However, hearing health is important in all work environments and is a crucial sense often overlooked. Many employers are often seen implementing employee wellness programs and employee benefits so where is the support for hearing health?

What is ear care and hearing health?

Hearing health is much more than the ability to hear, it’s also about being aware of how to protect the ears from noise damage, preventing hearing loss, and looking after the overall ear hygiene. How can good ear care be provided? Regular hearing tests with in person ear checks allow for the health of the outer ear (including ear drum) to be checked over for any ear wax build up or ear infections, recognising the early signs of hearing loss and struggles will allow for appropriate adjustments to be made to both lifestyle and workplace, and avoiding exposure to constant noise whether than be in loud or quiet environments to prevent ear fatigue.

Why does hearing health matter?

Hearing is such an important sense and unfortunately is only really appreciated once a deterioration to hearing is noticed. Too many times have I, Nicola, seen many patients who wished they’d acted on hearing changes sooner rather than later. It is well known that hearing is brilliant for effective communication, keeping socially involved with others, and allows individuals to stay engaged with their surroundings.

However, changes to hearing which is then left untreated could lead to:

·        Decreased productivity due to difficulties with communication

·        Higher stress levels and fatigue due to individuals struggling to hear or concentrate well

·        Increase in social isolation and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression

A statistic I find interesting from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) states only 6% of UK adults, who have not been diagnosed with a hearing loss, took a hearing check in the last 12 months. This is in contrast to 53% who had a dentist check up and 46% who had an eye test. What’s alarming though is 98% said their hearing was important to them. It’s time to make way for more employees to have regular hearing tests to help them feel supported with a physical sense that many of us say is important to us.

The role of hearing in the workplace

Around 1 in 8 working adults have a hearing loss but not all realise they have a hearing loss. Clear communication is vital in the workplace to follow verbal instructions or carry out phone conversations or online meetings. Small changes to hearing can create difficulties leading to misunderstandings and errors, which could potentially lead to decreased productivity. It’s important for employees to feel supported within their work roles. Regular hearing tests for employees allow for individuals to understand about their own hearing health which can be discussed with their employers if they so wish. This helps to ensure the right adjustments to be made within the workplace to ensure work is carried out as efficiently as possible. A change in hearing for some employees can cause frustration and embarrassment leading to disengagement from work tasks but also the social aspect of working. It’s time to ensure our employees feel supported when it comes to their hearing health.

Why is now a good time to be looking after our hearing health?

Progress is being made globally about the health of our hearing and the need to be proactive about ear care and hearing health. There is increasing awareness of workplace wellness and now is the perfect time to introduce hearing health initiatives to employees. As an audiologist and a person with a hearing loss I view this topic as so important and I have seen first hand so many people who have put off sorting out their hearing. It’s such a shame that for many reasons people put off looking into their hearing health or it is not deemed as important by employers. But hearing is so important for a productive workforce that I often wonder why wouldn’t you be having regular hearing checks within the company?

Imagine having plenty of workplaces who care about their employees and their hearing health. Employees would understand if there are any changes to their hearing and therefore can raise awareness about the need to implement appropriate workplace adjustments. Employers would gain confident employees who can effectively communicate and work productively.

How can you, as employers, support your employees’ hearing?

·        Offer annual hearing tests with in-person checks to ensure the ears themselves are looked at and checked

·        Educate your employees on healthy hearing habits

·        Ensure the office design helps to support employees hearing whether the individual has a hearing loss or not

For Workplace Ear Care hearing should no longer be an afterthought or just assumed to only be linked to noisy work environments. We specialise in helping non-noisy workplaces because employees’ hearing in these workplaces are just as important! It’s time to be proactive about hearing tests and not wait until employees are questioning their hearing and putting off looking after themselves. Employee hearing tests will never ‘just’ be a tickboxing exercise, it helps to foster a culture of care and responsibility. Making hearing tests part of our standard employee wellness programs allow employers to see an increase in over workplace satisfaction, productivity and long-term wellbeing.

Let’s build inclusive workplaces which celebrate looking after ourselves!

Written by Nicola Miller BSc MSHAA, Director and Clinical lead at Workplace Ear Care.

Nicola is an Audiologist with 15 years of experience working in both the NHS and private sectors.