When people are at an age where they are still working, their job is often a huge part of their self-worth. Their self-image is frequently based on what job they have, their position, and their pay.
When somebody asks “so what do you do?”, what’s the first thing you think. It most likely has something to do with what you do for a living.
It’s not pleasant to consider what would happen if something took your career away. But if you like your job, then you should take note of this career-breaker.
That livelihood killer is the disturbing link between neglected hearing loss and job success.
Untreated Hearing Loss Raises Unemployment Rates
A person is over 200% more likely to be underemployed or unemployed if they have neglected hearing loss. If a person isn’t working full time or has marketable capabilities that their not making use of and their not earning as much money as they should be, that’s defined as underemployed.
Those who have untreated hearing loss face lots of challenges 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 with each other on a job. Even a librarian would find it hard to help library patrons without her hearing.
Lots of people stay in the same line of work their entire lives. They know it really well. If they can no longer do that job well due to neglected hearing loss, it’s hard to make a living doing something different.
The Wage Gap Caused by Hearing Loss
On top of unemployment, those with hearing impairment all have the tendency to suffer a substantial wage gap, making about 75 cents for every dollar someone with normal hearing makes. This wage gap is backed by many independent studies that show that an individual loses up to $12,000 in income every year.
The extent of hearing loss is closely correlated with how much they lose. Even individuals with moderate hearing loss are potentially losing money, according to a study of 80,000 people.
What Are Some on The Job Struggles That People With Hearing Loss Face?
Someone with neglected hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day due to job stress.
Being unable to hear causes additional stress that peers don’t endure on a moment-to-moment basis. Envision needing to focus on hearing and understanding in team meetings while others just take hearing for granted. And missing out on a crucial piece of information is always a worry.
That’s even more stressful.
While on or off the job, it’s three times more likely that somebody with untreated hearing loss will suffer from a fall. Both impact your ability to do the work.
On top of on the job issues, people with untreated hearing loss are at increased risk of:
- Paranoia
- Depression
- Social Isolation
- Dementia
- Anxiety
Decreased productivity is the result of all this. 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 an upside.
An Effective Career Solution
The unemployment and wage gap can be eliminated by getting hearing aids according to some studies.
According to a Better Hearing Institute study, a person with slight hearing loss who wears hearing aids can erase the wage gap by up to 90-100%.
Somebody with moderate hearing loss can remove about 77% of the gap. That’s nearly the earning level of somebody who has normal hearing.
Even though hearing loss can be managed it’s not uncommon for people to disregard it during their working years. They might feel self-conscious about losing their hearing. They don’t want to appear “older” because of their hearing loss.
Hearing aids may seem too expensive. They probably don’t recognize that if hearing loss is neglected, it progresses more quickly in addition to causing the other health concerns mentioned above.
Considering these common objections, these studies hold added significance. Leaving your hearing untreated is probably more expensive than you know. If you’ve been on the fence about using hearing aids at work, it’s time to get a hearing exam. Call us and we can help you determine whether hearing aids would help.
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References
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2013/02001/Hearing_Loss_Linked_to_Unemployment,_Lower_Income.2.aspx