During the typical working years, many people build much of their perceived self-worth up around their job. They base their self-image on what type of job they do, what position they hold, and how much they earn.
When someone asks “so what do you do?”, what’s the first thing that comes to mind. It’s most likely to tell them about your occupation.
It’s not pleasant to think about what you would do if something took your living away. But there’s a career-buster out there that should make anyone who loves their work perk up and listen.
That livelihood killer is the disturbing link between untreated hearing loss and job success.
Unemployment Rate is Higher With Untreated Hearing Loss
A person with neglected hearing trouble is over 200% more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. If somebody isn’t working full time or has marketable capabilities that their not making use of and their not making as much money as they should be, that’s defined as underemployed.
Those who have untreated hearing loss face many obstacles in almost any line of work. A doctor needs to hear her patients. A construction worker has to hear his co-workers in order to work together on a job. And without the ability to hear, even a librarian would find it hard to help library patrons.
Lots of people remain in the same occupation their entire lives. They become quite good at what they do. If they can no longer do that job well due to neglected hearing loss, it’s tough to make a living doing something different.
The Potential Hearing Impairment Wage Gap
Someone with hearing loss earns only about 75 cents to every dollar that someone with normal hearing earns. This wage gap is supported by numerous independent studies that show that an individual loses as much as $12,000 in wages every year.
The degree of hearing loss is closely associated with how much they lose. According to a study conducted on 80,000 participants, even people with mild hearing loss are potentially losing money.
What Struggles do Individuals With Hearing Loss Face on The Job
Someone with untreated hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day due to job stress.
Being unable to hear causes added stress that peers don’t experience on a moment-to-moment basis. Picture needing to concentrate on hearing and understanding in team meetings while others simply take hearing for granted. And missing out on a crucial piece of information is always a concern.
That’s even worse.
Those with neglected hearing loss are also 3 times as likely to have a serious fall or other accident while at work or at home. Both impact your ability to do the work.
Somebody with neglected hearing loss is at an increased risk, in addition to job challenges, of the following:
- Dementia
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Depression
- Social Isolation
All of this results in reduced productivity. And given the difficulties that a person with hearing loss experiences at work and in life, they may also not be considered for an available promotion.
Luckily, this sad career prospect has a silver lining.
An Effective Career Strategy
Studies also reveal that having your hearing loss treated can eliminate the unemployment and the wage gap.
The wage gap can be decreased by 90 – 100% for somebody with mild hearing loss who uses hearing aids, as revealed by a study conducted by Better Hearing Institute.
Somebody with moderate hearing loss can get rid of about 77% of the gap. That’s about the earning level of someone who has normal hearing.
Despite this positive news, many people fail to treat their hearing loss during those working years. They might feel self-conscious about losing their hearing. It makes them feel old.
They may think that hearing aids are just too expensive for them. They most likely don’t realize that if hearing loss is neglected, it progresses more quickly in addition to triggering the other health problems discussed above.
In light of these common objections, these studies hold additional significance. Not treating your hearing loss might be costing you more than you think. If you’ve been undecided about using hearing aids at work, it’s time to get a hearing test. Contact us and we can help you decide whether hearing aids would help.
References
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2013/02001/Hearing_Loss_Linked_to_Unemployment,_Lower_Income.2.aspx