When people are at an age where they are still working, their job is often a large part of their self-worth. Their self-image is often based on what job they have, their position, and how much they make.
When somebody asks “so what do you do?”, what’s the first thing that comes to mind. It probably has something to do with what you do for a living.
People don’t like to have to think about what they’d do if their job was hampered. But there’s a career-breaker out there that should make anyone who loves putting in a good day’s work pay attention.
The troubling connection between career success and neglected hearing loss is precisely that livelihood killer.
Untreated Hearing Loss Raises Unemployment Rates
A person is over 200% more likely to be unemployed or underemployed if they have untreated hearing loss. Underemployment is commonly defined as the condition of employees not earning up to their potential, either because they aren’t working full time or because the work does not use all of their marketable expertise.
Those who have untreated hearing loss face many obstacles in nearly any line of work. A doctor needs to hear her patients. If they’re going to safely work together, construction workers need to be able to communicate. Even a librarian would find it hard to assist library patrons without her hearing.
Many individuals work their entire lives in one occupation. They know it really well. If they can no longer do that job well due to neglected hearing loss, it’s difficult to make a living doing something else.
The Wage Gap Caused by Hearing Loss
Along with unemployment, those with hearing loss all tend to experience a significant wage gap, making around 75 cents for every dollar a person with normal hearing makes. This wage gap is supported by many independent studies that reveal that an individual loses as much as $12,000 in income each year.
How much they lose strongly correlates with the severity of the hearing loss. Even individuals with mild hearing loss are potentially losing money, based on a study of 80,000 people.
What Struggles do People Who Suffer From Hearing Loss Face on The Job?
Someone with neglected hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day as a result of job stress.
Being incapable of hearing causes added stress that other workers don’t experience on a moment-to-moment basis. Envision being in a meeting and straining to hear while everybody else is taking their hearing for granted. And missing out on an essential piece of information is always a worry.
That’s even worse.
Those with neglected hearing loss are also 3 times as likely to have a significant fall or other accident while at work or at home. Your ability to work is impacted.
Someone with neglected hearing loss is at an increased danger, in addition to job challenges, of the following:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Social Isolation
- Dementia
- Paranoia
Reduced productivity is the result of all this. And given the obstacles that a person suffering from hearing loss faces at work and in life, they may also not be considered for an upcoming promotion.
Fortunately, this sad career outlook has a silver lining.
An Effective Career Strategy
The unemployment and wage gap can be eliminated by getting hearing aids according to some studies.
The wage gap can be erased by 90 – 100% for a person with minor hearing loss who uses hearing aids, as revealed by a study conducted by Better Hearing Institute.
Someone with moderate hearing loss can get rid of about 77% of the gap. That’s nearly the earning level of somebody who has normal hearing.
Despite this positive news, many individuals leave their hearing loss untreated during those working years. They may feel embarrassed about losing their hearing. It makes them feel old.
Hearing aids might seem too expensive. Most likely, they don’t know that hearing loss gets worse faster if left untreated, not to mention the previously mentioned health concerns.
These studies are even more compelling when these common objections are taken into consideration. Not addressing your hearing loss might be costing you more than you know. If you’ve been on the fence about wearing hearing aids at work, it’s time to have a hearing exam. Contact us so we can help you make that decision.
References
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2013/02001/Hearing_Loss_Linked_to_Unemployment,_Lower_Income.2.aspx