During the normal working years, many people build a lot of their perceived self-worth up around their occupation. 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’s probably to tell them about what you do for a living.
It’s not pleasant to think about what would happen if something took your living away. But if you like your job, then you should be aware of this career-breaker.
That livelihood killer is the disturbing link between untreated hearing loss and career success.
Untreated Hearing Loss Raises Unemployment Rates
A person with untreated hearing problems is over 200% more likely to be unemployed or underemployed. If somebody isn’t working full time or has marketable skills that their not using and their not making as much money as they should be, that’s defined as underemployed.
In nearly any occupation, people with untreated hearing loss experience lots of challenges. Doctors need to be able to hear their patients. A construction worker needs to hear his co-workers in order to work with each other on a job. And without the ability to hear, even a librarian would find it hard to help library patrons.
Many people work their whole lives in one line of work. They become very good at what they do. If they can no longer perform that job well because of untreated hearing loss, it’s hard to make a living doing something else.
The Potential Hearing Loss Wage Gap
Somebody with hearing loss earns only about 75 cents to every dollar that somebody with normal hearing earns. Many independent studies back this wage gap and show that that gap averages out at around $12,000 lost wages every year.
How much they lose strongly correlates with the severity of the hearing impairment. According to a study conducted on 80,000 participants, even people with mild hearing loss are potentially losing money.
What Are Some on The Job Challenges That Individuals With Hearing Loss Face?
Someone with neglected hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day due to job stress.
From moment to moment, somebody with hearing loss experiences stresses that co-workers never see. Imagine needing to focus on hearing and comprehending in team meetings while others simply take hearing for granted. And missing out on an important piece of information is always a concern.
That’s even more stressful.
While at work or at home, it’s three times more likely that somebody with neglected hearing loss will have a fall. Your ability to work is impacted.
Someone with neglected hearing loss is at an increased danger, in addition to job concerns, of the following:
- Social Isolation
- Dementia
- Depression
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
All of this adds up to decreased productivity. And given the obstacles that someone 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 an upside.
An Effective Career Strategy
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 uses hearing aids can eliminate the wage gap by up to 90-100%.
About 77% of that gap can be eliminated for a person with moderate hearing loss. That’s nearly the earning level of someone with normal hearing.
Even though hearing loss can be corrected it isn’t uncommon for people to ignore it during their working years. They might feel embarrassed about losing their hearing. It makes them feel old.
Hearing aids might seem too costly. They most likely don’t recognize that if hearing loss is left untreated, it worsens more quickly in addition to causing the other health concerns mentioned above.
These studies are even more significant when these common objections are taken into account. Leaving your hearing untreated is probably more expensive than you recognize. If you’ve been undecided about using hearing aids at work, it’s time to get a hearing assessment. Contact us so we can help you make that decision.
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References
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2013/02001/Hearing_Loss_Linked_to_Unemployment,_Lower_Income.2.aspx