The industry is losing out on deaf talent

Employers would benefit from investing in workers with hearing loss, says Bianca Koslowski.

The deaf community adds up to a whopping 10 million people in the UK – a sixth of our population – 3.7 million of whom are of working age. Yet, depressingly, a significant percentage of these are not in employment. The words “disability” and “impairment” are very delicate terms in business but however politically correct Britain may appear to be, it is not as inclusionist as we would have hoped.

The employment situation for disabled people remains deeply challenging. Unfortunately there are no statistics to represent the true percentage of those with hearing loss in work. In 2007, Action On Hearing Loss (AOHL), formerly known as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, conducted research to investigate the work experiences of 870 participants who were deaf or hard of hearing.

As you might expect, the figures – in the report Opportunity Blocked – were disheartening: 63% of deaf and hard of hearing people are currently employed, compared to 75% of the population as a whole. And, of those in work, 53% advised that their employers had not offered any support such as Access to Work (AtW).

AtW is a government grant scheme that works in conjunction with 2010 Equality Act. Set up in 1997, it provides financial support for adjustments, and support such as physical alterations to the work area, technology or personal assistants and communication support.

In September 2015 the government published its response to the Work & Pensions Select Committee report into AtW, setting recommendations to improve the scheme. It has accepted plans to improve access for deaf British sign language (BSL) users, with plans for a video relay service later in 2015/16. It also made reference to the importance of BSL interpreter support for deaf people at work.

Deaf bricklayer James Kendall (centre) receives a CITB Apprenticeship Award from Helen Skelton and the CITB’s Adrian Belton

As CEO of a construction company run for and by deaf employees, I look to my peers in construction to follow my example and extend employment to the deaf community. Many positives can be gained from embracing employees with hearing loss. In a Huffington Post article in November 2015, Lydia L Callis argues that there are six reasons to hire deaf workers who outshine their hearing counterparts: they offer adaptability, reliability, are good mediators, hard workers, and bring diversity and a unique perspective to enrich the team.

She sees these traits as a result of a deaf person’s life experiences. They are used to adapting to a hearing world so are more patient; they are hard-working and reliable because fewer opportunities are granted to them – so when one is, they are determined to succeed. And they are good mediators, and very empathic, due to having to relate to the hearing culture. All in all, a recipe for success.

However, if employers are concerned about the financial cost of all these additional personality traits, fear not – the AtW was set up to support you. It allows the costs to be shared with the government – AOHL has full details. The Department of Work & Pensions calculates that for each pound spent the government receives £1.70 back in National Insurance, taxation and reduced demand on state benefits.

As for training for employers, AOHL’s Louder Than Words is an accreditation course that trains companies to be inclusive and accessible for deaf colleagues and customers. AOHL provides a work-based assessment if you wish to find out how to support employees on a personalised basis.

I have found the construction industry is set up to accommodate deaf people – due to the physicality of the job role. James Kendall demonstrates this. A deaf bricklayer with Scorpio Building Contractors, a company set up by two deaf builders, he won a CITB Apprenticeship Award for Achievement through Adversity last October. Speaking on a BBC See Hear programme about deaf people in business, he said: “Working with deaf people is straightforward. Someone may sign ‘screw that in there’ and it’s clear.” In other words, communication is quick and clear.

It is a view echoed by Emma Tracey, on the BBC’s Ouch! disability blog. “Factory work, building work and other jobs which don’t involve much conversation, have traditionally been very popular with deaf people as you’re on the same level as fellow employees,” she says.

Communication is the only barrier the deaf community need to breach – one that can be done with the support of a BSL interpreter. The interpreter is merely the worker’s ears and voice. The knowledge, the experience and the work comes from the individual. My company is proud of its deafness and welcomes others to enjoy the benefits of employing a deaf worker.

As our society ages the number of people with hearing loss is set to grow. By 2031 there will be approximately 14.5 million people with hearing loss in the UK – what a large untapped resource.

Bianca Koslowski is managing director of Ankura (Make it Home)