When people are at an age where they are still working, their job is frequently a big part of their self-worth. They base their self-image on what type of job they have, what position they hold, and how much they earn.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when someone asks, “So what do you do”? It’s most likely to tell them about what you do for a living.
People don’t want to have to think about what they’d do if their job was hampered. But there’s a career-buster out there that should make anybody who loves putting in a good day’s work pay attention.
The troubling link between career success and untreated hearing loss is precisely that livelihood killer.
Unemployment Rate is Higher With Untreated Hearing Loss
A person is over 200% more likely to be underemployed or unemployed if they have neglected hearing loss. If someone isn’t working full time or has marketable capabilities that their not making use of and their not making as much money as they should be, that’s defined as underemployed.
Those who have neglected hearing loss face countless obstacles in almost any line of work. A doctor needs to hear her patients. A construction worker needs to hear his co-workers in order to work together on a job. Even a librarian would find it hard to help library patrons without her hearing.
Many people work their entire lives in one line of work. They know it very well. For them, if they can’t hear well, it would be difficult to change to a different job and make a respectable living.
The Potential Hearing Loss Wage Gap
Someone with hearing loss makes only about 75 cents to every dollar that somebody with normal hearing earns. This wage gap is backed by many independent studies that show that a person loses as much as $12,000 in wages every year.
How much they lose directly correlates with the extent of the hearing impairment. Even people with moderate hearing loss are potentially losing money, according to a study of 80,000 people.
What Challenges do Those Who Suffer From Hearing Loss Face on The Job?
Somebody with untreated hearing loss is 5 times more likely to take a sick day due to job stress.
Being incapable of hearing causes added stress that other workers don’t experience on a moment-to-moment basis. Imagine being in a meeting and straining to hear while everyone else is taking their hearing for granted. Now imagine the anxiety of missing something significant.
That’s even worse.
While on or off the job, it’s three times more likely that somebody with untreated hearing loss will suffer from a fall. Your ability to work is impacted.
Somebody with neglected hearing loss is at an increased danger, in addition to job challenges, of the following:
- Depression
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Social Isolation
- Dementia
All of this adds up to reduced productivity. And given the difficulties that someone with hearing loss faces at work and in life, they may also not be considered for an upcoming promotion.
Luckily, there’s a very bright silver lining to this dismal career outlook.
A Career Solution That Works
The unemployment and wage gap can be eliminated by wearing hearing aids according to some studies.
According to a Better Hearing Institute study, somebody with mild hearing loss who wears hearing aids can get rid of the wage gap by up to 90-100%.
Someone with moderate hearing loss can remove about 77% of the gap. That’s nearly the earning level of someone with normal hearing.
Even though hearing loss can be corrected it’s not uncommon for people to ignore it during their working years. They feel that losing their hearing is embarrassing. It makes them feel old.
Hearing aids may 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 challenges.
Considering these common objections, these studies hold additional significance. Not dealing with your hearing loss may be costing you more than you think. If you’ve been undecided about wearing hearing aids at work, it’s time to have a hearing exam. Call us and we can help you decide whether hearing aids would help.
References
https://journals.lww.com/thehearingjournal/fulltext/2013/02001/Hearing_Loss_Linked_to_Unemployment,_Lower_Income.2.aspx