THE IMPORTANCE OF HEARING IN THE WORKPLACE

Solid verbal communication (and subsequent proper hearing) is one of the biggest keys to a prosperous and profitable workplace. Sadly, approximately 30 percent of American workers believe they may have some form of hearing loss. Continue reading to learn more about hearing loss, how it affects your workplace and what you as a manager or business owner can do to keep hearing loss from damaging your business:

• Misunderstandings: Regardless of the industry you’re in, too many misunderstandings in an office can lead to a ton of problems. Among other issues, projects may get started off on the wrong foot, and customers may be sent the incorrect invoices. These issues don’t just make your company look bad—they can lead to a loss of revenue. As you can imagine, hearing problems are the core of tons of misunderstandings between both coworkers and clients. Ensure horrible scenarios don’t happen at your office by having your employees’ hearing tested. We can set everyone with hearing loss up with brand-new hearing aids in Springfield, MO that’ll help clear up misunderstandings.
• Repeating instructions: Nobody likes repeating instructions or directions over and over again. Doing so can eventually lead to frustration between coworkers, and is also a big waste of company time. Employees with hearing loss are more likely to ask their coworkers to repeat themselves, frustrating everyone involved while decreasing their productivity.
• Safety issues: This one varies a bit from workplace to workplace. Obviously, not being able to hear correctly in a factory or on a construction site is more dangerous than in a corporate office. An accountant isn’t going to be injured at the office if he or she mishears something. But if a factory employee or construction worker isn’t able to hear an instruction while on the job, people could be seriously hurt. Calling to set up hearing tests will help you rest easy at night knowing that your place of business is as safe as can be.

What can employers do?

Fortunately, there are things employers can do to help ensure their workplaces are a good environment for employees with varying degrees of hearing ability:

• Look for the signs of hearing loss: You don’t need the help of an audiologist to know when someone is having a hard time hearing. Pay closer attention to which employees are constantly asking you to repeat instructions or who may often look confused after you explain something to them. People are often too embarrassed to ask for help!
• Offer hearing tests: Unless your employees will admit they have a hearing issue, they won’t actively seek the help of a doctor. It’s hard for a lot of people to admit they have a problem, and even then, they might not know who to turn to for help. Even though you can’t drag your employees to a hearing test, you can schedule company-wide hearing tests through Half Price Hearing Aids.

We can’t do much to prevent hearing loss, but we can help prevent it from affecting productivity and reducing safety in your office! Contact us today to set up free hearing tests and get your employees with hearing loss set up with affordable hearing aids in Springfield, MO. We guarantee the right hearing aids won’t just boost productivity—they’ll also make for happier employees!