When people are at an age where they are still working, their job is frequently a big part of their self-worth. Their self-image is frequently based on what job they have, their position, and their pay.
When someone asks “so what do you do?”, what’s the first thing you think. It probably has something to do with what you do for a living.
It’s not enjoyable to consider what you would do if something took your career away. But there’s a career-buster out there that should make anybody who loves their work pay attention.
That career killer is the disturbing link between untreated hearing loss and job success.
Untreated Hearing Loss Raises Unemployment Rates
Someone with neglected hearing problems is over 200% more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. If a person isn’t working full time or has marketable skills that their not making use of and their not earning as much as they should be, that’s defined as underemployed.
Those with untreated hearing loss face many challenges in almost any occupation. A doctor needs to hear her patients. A construction worker needs 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.
Many individuals work their whole lives in one line of work. They become very good at what they do. For them, if they can’t hear well, it would be difficult to change to a different job and make a decent living.
The Wage Gap Caused by Hearing Loss
Someone with hearing loss makes only around 75 cents to every dollar that someone with normal hearing earns. Many independent studies support this wage gap and show that that gap averages out at about $12,000 lost wages every year.
The extent of hearing loss is directly linked with how much they lose. According to a study conducted on 80,000 individuals, even people with slight hearing loss are potentially losing money.
What Struggles do Individuals Who Suffer From Hearing Loss Face on The Job
A person with neglected hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day as a result of job stress.
From moment to moment, somebody with hearing loss experiences stresses that co-workers never see. Envision having to concentrate on hearing and comprehending in team meetings while others just take hearing for granted. Now think about the anxiety of missing something important.
That’s even worse.
While on or off the job, it’s three times more likely that someone with untreated hearing loss will have a fall. Your ability to work is impacted.
Somebody with untreated hearing loss is at an increased risk, in addition to job concerns, of the following:
- Dementia
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Social Isolation
- Paranoia
Reduced productivity is the result of all this. And given the difficulties that a person with hearing loss confronts at work and in life, they may also not be considered for an available promotion.
Fortunately, there’s a really bright silver lining to this dismal career outlook.
A Career Strategy That Works
Studies also show that getting hearing loss treated can cancel out the unemployment and the wage gap.
According to a Better Hearing Institute study, somebody with mild hearing loss who wears hearing aids can get rid of the wage gap by as much as 90-100%.
About 77% of that gap can be mitigated for a person with moderate hearing loss. That gets them almost up to the earning of a person in the same field with normal hearing.
Despite this positive news, many people leave their hearing loss untreated during those working years. They feel that losing their hearing is embarrassing. It makes them feel old.
Hearing aids may seem too costly. Most likely, they don’t know that hearing loss gets worse faster if left untreated, not to mention the previously mentioned health concerns.
Considering these common objections, these studies hold added significance. Not dealing with your hearing loss might be costing you more than you know. It’s time to have a hearing exam if you’re trying to determine if you should use hearing aids at work. Contact us and we can help you determine whether hearing aids would help.
References
https://journals.lww.com