Employment

Difficulty with access to work for Deaf people happens at every stage of the employee journey.
 

 A recent survey by the Royal Association for Deaf People revealed that a lack of awareness among employers was a serious barrier to employment and career progression.
 

The study highlighted the following statistics:

• 63% reported they had not been given equal opportunities at work

• 83% felt excluded from conversations with colleagues

• 69% reported feeling lonely at work

• 59% had been left out of social events
   

There can be barriers to employment for Deaf and hard of hearing people before they enter the workplace. There are many ways employers can understand and improve disability recruitment practices.
 

People will be ready to disclose their deafness to new or potential employers at different times, which can make arranging interviews challenging.
 

Deaf people may be apprehensive of how their potential employer may react to a request for an interview method that suits their communication style, fearing others preconceptions and deaf discrimination.
 

Deaf people experience many microaggressions and the impact of implicit bias from employers, such as doubting their abilities and denying them opportunities because they as employers don’t feel equipped to support them.
 

By understanding the barriers to employment, we can create more deaf-friendly jobs and employers.