Now that 70 is the new 50, many workers today are prolonging their time in the professional sphere. Baby Boomers, the generation born between 1946-1964, make up almost a quarter of the workforce.  It’s more than simply financial circumstances that have folks delaying retirement, many Boomers report they plan to continue working for personal fulfillment and satisfaction.  However, this new trend of an extended working life brings an unexpected companion: age-related hearing loss. Read on for a deeper dive into dealing with hearing loss in the workplace. 

Encountering Hearing Loss With Age

Most people will encounter hearing loss as they age, in the form of a loved one, family member or themselves. One in three people over the age of 65 has hearing loss, which makes this one of the leading health concerns in the country.  There is a simple and unavoidable reason for the high incidence of hearing loss later in life: aging itself harms the hearing system. The sensitive and integral inner ear cells decline in health due to the toll that time takes on them. They are non-regenerative cells, which means that they don’t repair themselves when damaged or repopulate cells as they are lost. Instead, we are working with less inner ear cells to do the hearing heavy lifting.  We rely upon our retinue of inner ear cells to collect the sounds happening around us and turn it into the type of sound information our brain understands. Once collected and translated into electrical signals, this sound information is sent to the brain for processing, and this is where meaning is made.  When we have less cells working to transmute this sound information, some of the information is lost. The first signs of hearing loss stem from trouble understanding speech, because we can no longer capture certain frequencies. It might sound like everyone is mumbling or you may mistake or mishear what is being said. 

Hearing Loss In The Workplace

Within a professional setting, hearing loss can wreak havoc. In workplaces where heavy machinery, chemicals or precise functions are being performed, communication is key between coworkers. Safety can be threatened when untreated or undiagnosed hearing loss crops up. It can even make situations more prone to accidents or injury if audible warning signs go unheard.  Other ways that hearing loss harms workplace performance is in less physically dangerous settings, like an office or administrative space. Here, hearing loss may contribute to mix ups if oral instructions or information are shared and hearing loss prevents understanding. 

Hearing Loss And Performance

In terms of individual employees and their relationship with work after hearing loss, it is a condition that can erode self-confidence. There is a strong correlation between hearing loss and depression, and the condition can lead to or exacerbate emotional turmoil.  The brain of a person with hearing loss must also work overtime to try to piece together sound information while they’re missing vital parts. It’s like trying to complete a puzzle without all of the pieces. This has been proven to result in something called ‘listening fatigue’ in which people with hearing loss experience heightened exhaustion in conversations. The cognitive overload of untreated hearing loss may also contribute to future cognitive diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Treating Hearing Loss Can Help Extend Your Professional Longevity

Dealing with the inconvenient truth of hearing loss while you are mid-career doesn’t mean you have to explore retirement options. While age-related hearing loss is an irreversible condition, it’s also highly treatable.  Hearing aids and cochlear implants are proven and successful interventions for many types of hearing loss.  They can reduce the effort associated with conversation and improve confidence, both personally and professionally. 

Other Ways To Overcome Hearing Loss In The Workplace

Receiving a professional diagnosis of your hearing loss can help clarify your professional life. Once you’ve confronted hearing loss, there are ways beyond treatment to ease communication at the office.  To begin, once you’ve gotten a diagnosis, you cannot be fired from your job because of your disability. What’s more, your employer is required under federal law to make reasonable accommodations. This can be something as simple as forgoing telephone calls, which are truly challenging with hearing loss, in favor of email and in-person conversations. Or, your company might adjust video conferencing protocol to include closed captioning, making meetings less confusing and promoting clearer communication for everyone.

Schedule A Hearing Consultation

If you have concerns about your hearing health and professional life, schedule a hearing consultation today. Our team will guide you toward your healthiest hearing yet!