The workplace can be stressful, noisy & isolating with hearing loss, but there are ways to overcome many of the challenges.
A guest blog by Linda Cole
The workplace is a pretty noisy place at times.
Wherever you work, sit at your desk for a minute or two.
What do you hear?
the printer?
that fan that never seems to cool the office down but makes a racket?
chatter?
Banter?
What’s that ringing sound?
That’s two minutes. With many of us (even those of us who work Part Time or Flexibly) many of us spend more time at work than at home.
If you have hearing difficulties (and if you don’t - stick some cotton wool in one or both ears) reflect for a couple of minutes in the same seat: the questions quickly become:
Is at a phone? Was that my phone I missed?
Was I needed in that conversation? That meeting?
Whose name was that person next to the coffee machine saying? Was it mine?
Is that a car alarm? Please say it’s not mine, I’ll have no battery left…?
Now, would you be surprised to hear there an element of link between hearing loss and anxiety? Do remember that your GP is well-placed to help you with anxiety or depression as a result of hearing loss, deafness and a sense of isolation that can result from it.
What if you've told your colleagues, you’re deaf in one ear (I genuinely am, and the following has happened in a workplace in Oxfordshire) – and those colleagues still giggle when you're deep in focus, perhaps copy writing or preparing for a presentation. Those colleagues walk up behind you. You don’t notice. They giggle. I don’t I spin round, surprised and try and join the dots… did they want me? I feel isolated and inadequate at the same time. Silently seething that my disability is a laughing matter for them. For me… I’m trying to join the dots… what was said, did it even matter (it clearly did because they bothered to say it once), was it an important work conversation, office gossip, talk of last night’s telly or a request to complete a task. I’m not sure. I have to ask. I feel even more inadequate. Belittled. Their answer “oh nothing, it doesn’t matter”. So now, I’ve lost my focus, I’m upset, angry. If I smoked I’d go outside for one right now, but a “go and walk around the car park break” isn’t a thing like a fag break was back then. I count the hours until 17:30.
There’s an easy solution: Why didn’t they just use my name? I’m always listening out for my name, not unlike Siri, Alexa or even my pet dog in that respect! If they’d done that I’d know I was needed. If I didn’t respond, they’d just need to tap me on the shoulder once. Not go up to me, shout boo and giggle (which was a regular occurrence in a Leeds call centre in my student days).
These days, I’d now go and ask a trusted colleague and say, “Please could you do me a favour, it I don’t hear you or a colleague, softly say my name and if I still don’t respond, tap me on the shoulder.”
Is there somebody in your workplace you could ask to do that for you?
Ever been in a hot meeting room on a summer afternoon? The projector is on, but the presentation stopped ages ago. The room gets hotter. It gets harder to hear. I asked a trusted colleague to go and turn it off (I messaged her on WhatsApp unbeknown to others). She gets up, turns it off (for me, for everyone). She doesn’t have hearing loss. The room sighs a sigh of relief and thanks my colleague.
These are the kind of tips I’m sharing on the Deaf Accelerator with Upper Hand Digital https://www.upperhanddigital.co.uk/the-deaf-career-accelerator/
This is a 4 hour training course designed to upskill deaf and hard of hearing Professionals, Job Seekers and Entrepreneurs. The course can be funded by Access to Work (see website for full details). Sessions available from June 2026.
If you manage other people, remember that people may be (like me) struggling in silence. People who are deaf or hard of hearing won’t necessarily wear hearing aids, look or sound deaf, or be open about their hearing loss, tinnitus or deafness. They often fear stigma, lack of understanding and discrimination. The best way to overcome this is to learn a little about deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus, and openly talk about the challenges this brings.
Here are a few tips for managers, colleagues and for your intranet or email newsletter:
Normalise conversations about deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus, given there are 18 million adults in the UK who experience these challenges.
Use people’s names so they know you want their attention (this helps deaf and hard of hearing people as well as people with anxiety and some neurodiverse people)
Can you move somebody’s desk to a quieter area of the office. This might make phone calls easier or simply remove those distractions like the kettle or the photocopier, which to you don’t sound loud, but when your hearing dips, background noise can become challenging
Turn off equipment that’s not in use e.g. projector, coffee percolator… (This may also save on energy costs)
If you want a meeting with somebody perhaps a one-to-one or an important meeting, pick the venue carefully – not the open plan office or the kitchen by the kettle. Why not take a cuppa outside? Why not book a meeting room? Why not both take a break from the office and grab a drink in a quiet coffee shop, or better still outside?
Think about furnishings – hard ones can make sound bounce everywhere.
Normalise awareness days for common conditions from deafness to breast cancer to anxiety. Even if they’re a good excuse for cake they do start to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable enough to trust their colleagues and managers to tell them about hearing loss, deafness or any other health condition
If somebody discloses a health condition to you, thank them. They have just trusted you to share their personal medical history with them, there is no legal requirement to do so. Treat it with confidentiality, gaining their consent before sharing with others e.g. HR who might be needed to put in place reasonable adjustments (like noise cancelling headphones, changing working hours to quieter times of day or moving their desk to somewhere quieter)
Contact Access to Work. Access to Work is for all disabilities and long-term conditions lasting 12 months or more and can offer useful support. It can fund things like equipment, sign language and deaf/ hearing loss awareness training for teams. There is a backlog, but the Government is working to reduce this and actively recruiting staff.
Reach out to deaf and hearing loss charities – locally or nationally.
Resources
Cole, L, WITH us, https://www.with-us.uk (2026) [Accessed on 02/06/2026]
WITH us offers EDI consultancy, training and workshops including the Deaf Career Accelerator in conjunction with Upper Hand Digital https://www.upperhanddigital.co.uk/the-deaf-career-accelerator/ [Accessed on 02/06/26
HM Government, Access to Work https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work [Accessed on 02/06/2026]
HM Government, Huge Recruitment Boost to Tackle Backlog in Vital Disability Work Scheme https://www.gov.uk/government/news/huge-recruitment-boost-to-tackle-backlog-in-vital-disability-work-scheme [Accessed on 02/06/2026]
RNID, Resources for Employers and Professionals. Information for supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, https://rnid.org.uk/employers-and-professionals/ [Accessed on 02/06/2026]
Mental Health Matters, Where to Find Support for Hearing Loss https://www.mhm.org.uk/hearing-loss-and-mental-health [Accessed on 04/05/2026]
NCDS have some great resources, including stories about people in early stages of their careers https://www.ndcs.org.uk/advice-and-support/real-life-stories/claudias-building-her-career and information about Access to Work, https://www.ndcs.org.uk/advice-and-support/all-advice-and-support-topics/employment-and-work/access-work [Access on 02/06/2026]