The Silent Workplace: Understanding Hearing Loss

Claire Dibben – 00:03:28

So whether you’re brand new to these events or you’ve been with us before, welcome. And thank you so much for coming along. We’ve been running them now for around 18 months, and there’s a community of over 2000. Of you, which is just brilliant to see how that has grown over the last year.

Claire Dibben – 00:03:45

And a half. Um, the, the objective of these events is to bring you experts and speakers on a range of topics around inclusion and neurodiversity in the workplace. So you can always find information about our upcoming events on the care Scribe website for example, next month we’re discussing working groups with retail giant not on the high street.

Claire Dibben – 00:04:10

And you can also follow us on LinkedIn as well. We share lots of event information on there, and we have our past event recordings available for you to watch back at your own leisure. Um, on our website. So carescribe.io with summaries and additional information and resources for you to explore.

Claire Dibben – 00:04:29

I think a member of the team is dropping some links in the chat for you now. Um, so before we skip on to the webinar. Firstly, who are we? Who are Claire? Well, we’re the organisation that makes these events happen. We’re an award winning assistive technology company based in Bristol and we create assistive technology to help people who are neurodivergent or who have disabilities to be more productive and more confident in their work or in their studies.

Claire Dibben – 00:05:01

So we have two products. Caption.Ed, which has captioning and note taking software, which helps people capture and comprehend just the the piles of information which gets thrown at them, either at work or in education. And we have TalkType, which is highly accurate.

Claire Dibben – 00:05:20

Lightning fast dictation software, which works on all platforms. So Mac, windows, Chromebook and on mobile as well. Did you know that in the UK around 12 million working age adults experience here?

Claire Dibben – 00:05:36

Hearing loss and they often face challenges like listening fatigue during meetings? So for many Caption.Ed has been quite a game changer in overcoming those barriers. And our very own Chris Hamlyn, who’s a member of the team here at CareScribe, is running a webinar.

Claire Dibben – 00:05:53

Taking place next week on the 16th of January. Where you can have the chance to see how captioned is transforming accessibility in the workplace. So if you are an inclusion manager, an accessibility manager. Maybe a people director or a HR director, essentially, if you’re responsible for improving inclusion and accessibility in the workplace, this webinar is suitable for you.

Claire Dibben – 00:06:18

So if you want to join the accessibility and action. Webinar next week to find out more about how. Caption.Ed supports colleagues with hearing loss in the workplace. Our team should be just popping the registration link in the chat for you now.

Claire Dibben – 00:06:33

Now, a bit of. Course, keeping. If you’ve been with us before, you will notice a new addition for this session, which is. Lydia. So. Lydia is our British Sign Language interpreter for today. Thank you so much for joining us.

Claire Dibben – 00:06:48

Lydia. As you will know, if you’re a regular attendee of these sessions, we are always looking to improve them and to make them accessible for as many people as possible. So your feedback and your suggestions are always welcome.

Claire Dibben – 00:07:04

We also understand that some people can struggle to concentrate with added distractions, so if that’s the case for you today, right now, please feel free to leave the live webinar. Because we will be sharing the recording of today’s session in the follow up email tomorrow, and we will include both the BSL recording and we’ll also include the speaker only recording in that for you.

Claire Dibben – 00:07:28

There’ll be a feedback survey in the chat when you exit the webinar as well. And this is where you can let us know how you found the session. And you can also request a certificate of attendance. Finally, before I introduce you to Sarah. I just want to let you know how you can get the most from today’s event.

Claire Dibben – 00:07:46

So as many of you are already doing and as I witnessed at the start, we do encourage you to join in the chat and talk with other people on the call. The community that we have built up over the last 18 months, over 2000 people. Um, is is so special to us and the chat really helps bring that to life.

Claire Dibben – 00:08:05

So I would totally encourage you to spark conversation in there Uh, again. I appreciate that. For some people that can be distracting. So if you need to, you can turn off your chat previews and you can mute the the notifications. And if you have questions for Sarah, which I’m sure you will do, and I hope you will do.

Claire Dibben – 00:08:26

Please put them in the Q&A section at the bottom of your screen. So you should see at the bottom of your screen it says Q&A. Put your questions in there because the chat gets quite busy and it does mean that sometimes questions get lost. Put your questions in the Q&A section and you can also upvote questions as well.

Claire Dibben – 00:08:46

So if there’s a super popular question that’s been asked, we know how to prioritise that to Sarah and finally, as I mentioned, this webinar is being recorded so you can review it at time and a pace which suits you or you can share it with colleagues and peers as well.

Claire Dibben – 00:09:02

Tomorrow you’ll receive a follow up email with a recording and also a full transcript generated by Caption.Ed. Thank you so much for your patience that that was a lot of talking at the start from me. And I know you’re not here from me. You’re here for Sarah. So thank you for your patience.

Claire Dibben – 00:09:18

Um, and what I’m going to do now is I’m going to invite Sarah to join us on screen. And whilst Sarah does that, I’m going to give you a very quick introduction. So, Sarah is an authentic disability awareness trainer.

Claire Dibben – 00:09:33

And public speaker on disability inclusion and mental health. And Sarah bases her work on her own lived experiences of working and living with profound deafness. Sarah helps businesses create inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities, making her the perfect guest speaker for me to hand over to for our first skill session of 2025.

Claire Dibben – 00:09:57

Thank you so much, Sarah, for leading today’s session. The silent Workplace Understanding, hearing Loss. I am going to leave it in your capable hands for the next 40 minutes, and I’ll jump back on screen at the end and we can get stuck into some questions. So Sarah, over to you.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:10:13

Okay. Thank you. I’m just going to share my screen. Um, get that out. Okay. So hopefully everyone can see my slides okay. Um, so hello everyone. I’m we are likely to be here today. Um, to give you some training on how to best support employees with hearing loss in the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:10:35

I also create the really important, um, accessible, inclusive workplace for people with hearing loss. So just don’t move on to, um, just trying to move the slides Like me make this to meet him.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:10:59

Okay, here we go. There you go. Sorry about that. So sorry about again. No worries. Okay. So we going to have a look at the agenda. The first of all, we’re going to kick off with my personal story briefly. Um.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:11:14

We will then look at the prevalent of people with hearing loss in the UK. There’s that key. Um statistic. The one in particular, um, in the workplace. And, and then to start. Educating you on how to best support people with the hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:11:33

We need to first of all, understand what are the challenges. Um, and by that, people face in the workplace. We will then move on to how you can help remove of those barriers. So some very specific, um, practical tips then, um, around removing the barriers and also create a more accessible and inclusive workplace for people with hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:12:00

And then finally we will explore what else you can do as allies to create that safe and inclusive workplace and foster will allyship in the workplace. The kick off with who am I?

Unassigned – 00:12:17

I was born profoundly deaf to a hearing family. My communication style is all so I live with and speak. I do know some places language, but are not fluent in, so I do have a bit of to hopefully be able to the occasion day and forcedly and have come down with a bit of a code.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:12:39

Then a little with bunged up. Um, to hopefully, you know, the captain will enable you to fellow what um, team the unqualified as a chartered accountant and tax and one day they were my jobs.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:12:55

Um, it wake up one morning and take one day being in accounting and but it’s something that I could do with my disability at the time. And gave me financial independence. I worked as various the county firms, including Iran, which is one of the largest global firms in a steaming management role.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:13:17

And it was there that I set up a disability. Network called Ability and for people working there with disabilities. And long term health condition, they will provide mentoring and support to help people.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:13:34

Thrive at every. I’m now running my own business and providing. Disability awareness training and public speaking on disability inclusive and mental health and finally, I act as a consultant to various.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:13:51

Not for profit organisation. Like Rnid, which is the largest charity in the UK and a son health do I could I get there? So what is my personal story or rather what is my personal journey?

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:14:10

So my personal journey wasn’t all with an easy one. I was born profoundly deaf at a time of very little deaf awareness. Or in fact, disability awareness. So having a disability. Was like having a social stigma, which is fine language with not an officially recognised language.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:14:33

So we were never really encouraged to learn to sign Instead, we were expected to learn to speak, though went to a mainstream primary school with the partial hearing unit, and I learned to speak with, you know, Intentive speech therapy over many years.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:14:54

I grew up in the hearing world because I was born to a hearing family, but I had very little in the way of different Or deaf culture or different. We live in a very rural environment. There. No, that many deaf people, so I had no worse to belong.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:15:12

I didn’t really belong in the hearing world because I was deaf, but I didn’t really belong in the deaf world either, because they didn’t know that many deaf people. I learned coping technique like masking, where you cover up your disability just to fit in while living and working in the hearing world, and navigating numerous barriers not to pointedly my mental health was affected by.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:15:39

I took on a more senior role of work So what would I do to help my mental health? I began to articulate more clearly my needs for workplace adjustment and my preferred working style.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:15:56

As up a disability. Network. Ability. And through that, I was able to return to other people with hearing loss and share my personal experiences and my personal story. And I was able to get more support from other people who also had hearing loss I worked the more diverse, inclusive and supportive team Work I could be more authentic self and our I belong.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:16:28

I learned BSL and in the local deaf club, so now I know more people in my life. More importantly, I learned to stop, clear boundaries to protect my mental health. Rather than just masking and coping.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:16:44

I learned to stay. No. I’ve took care of my physical health to really important. Help the birds with and his mindful and I practice kindness and compassion for myself.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:17:00

And then finally, I chose my allies, people who don’t necessarily have a disability themselves. But who have my back and made sure that I fell included and supported But I’m not the only one with the type of personality my personal journey is not unique.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:17:21

There’s so many of us out there with the similar personal journey, and that is reflected in the of the key statistics. We’ll be looking at 12 million of working age adults experienced some form, some form of hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:17:37

That is more than 1 in 6 of more than half of deaf people and people with hearing loss. Are reluctant to discuss their hearing loss with their employer. For fear of consequences. They were over 50% of them.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:17:53

There is no safe space for us to talk about our hearing loss in the workplace, and instead we’re fearful or negative consequences like judgement, or biased against working with us. More than half of people who are deaf or have a hearing loss are, but that they have been treated unfairly as work and have.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:18:15

Experienced teething and mocking from their colleagues. Devin in ten, the colleagues have not communicated effectively with them. So as you can get a sense from these figures that you know it really hard work for deaf people in the workplace and you can go to isolation and exclusion for us in the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:18:39

Recent public polling found that even. A quarter of people would feel uncomfortable being close to manage the when he their or has a hearing loss. More than 50% of employers admit that they have limited or no understanding of the challenges that people with hearing loss feel.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:18:58

So they don’t know what the challenges and the barriers that we face in the workplace. It’s not surprising that so many people feel uncomfortable or don’t feel a confident, um, to manage the whether hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:19:18

So in order to help your those challenges or barriers, employers with hearing loss face in the workplace. Let us explore some of the more common type of barriers. The third common type of barriers is what we call environmental barriers.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:19:37

So these are barriers that are found in building and office spaces. And so on. And they can be physical barriers or non political barriers like um acoustic barrier. So the typical um is of barriers the deaf people can include things like a noisy open plan office with lots of background noise.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:20:03

And so if you take the out me who were here with on our heroes amplify. Everything there is no filters doesn’t cut out the background noise. They all no, all the noise come through. Our heroes and our amplifiers and that can be really overwhelming and very stressful and very often.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:20:25

I need to sit down. With my agent, stop just to cut out the background noise. Another barrier is poor lighting. You know, it really, really difficult to liberate someone or some time into you.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:20:40

If you have poor lighting in the workplace. A lack of suitable health and safety procedures for people with hearing loss can be another barrier. For example, there’s no personal emergency evacuation plan in the case of a fire alarm, you know, with the always hear the alarm or, um, if a deaf person, um, gets in the lift and broken down and can’t need the intercom.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:21:08

There’s no procedures around, you know. What? What should we do? If that happen? Another common type of biotechnology. Barrier So temple and a lack of accessible technology or not having the right technology for people with hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:21:27

So some examples of that include. Lack of Caption.Ed or BSL, interpreters on video calls and not or BSL interpretation for any pre-recorded presentation or training video.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:21:45

Um, I can remember. Clearly my last job we had to do mandatory training videos every year. Um, in the very often they came without any step In their have to arrange those videos tend to be.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:22:01

And quite um, and that did add a lot more. Um, delay in um incomplete. Magazine training and then finally, no training clips for any of foreseeable with maybe embedded in retail.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:22:18

Like training materials Another type of both um, that people are cultural and attitudinal barriers. Now these are the more harder barriers to break down.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:22:35

And based on behaviours and mindset. Which can be in they, for example, making the wrongness things about what we can do or our ability to do the job. People thinking that we’re derping there for a client, do the job.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:22:51

Or they’re making something about our needs. Without really talking to us first. For example, um, communication needs know. People thinking that we all need BSL interpreters, but not everyone signs Another, um, barrier is lack of communication.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:23:13

Toward people with hearing loss. You may remember from when we were talking about the key statistic that 7 in 10 that, um, their colleagues do effectively communicate with them and that can lead to isolation and collusion in the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:23:31

Non-inclusive and ableist language. Language that is not inclusive or respectful. Then things like, well, you don’t look. To to or you really do. Okay. To the person they look like them or in my case.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:23:50

You know, you sound funny. You know, you stand. Drunk. Not people, not realising that taking in years, you to learn to speak like this. This is my first. So saying things like that can devalue us and diminish our experiences and feeling Inflexibility in others.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:24:11

Ever working style, sometimes nicknaming work in a in a way in 1 or 2 working style that can accommodate our destiny. And some people find that difficult to accept or not. Prepared to be flexible. And finally unconscious bias and hints of so people haven’t both against working with us because we think we can’t do the job.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:24:35

You know, because we’re do well, that can lead to mis opportunities in terms of work and promotion and also, you know, discrimination. And then finally, another common type of barrier is what we call organisational planning barriers.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:24:53

So for example, inaccessible meeting. Both face to face and online Those until having last face to face meeting around a large boardroom style. Table. You know, makes it really difficult to follow what’s being said in terms of online meeting.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:25:13

Too many people are follow online and people are ever talking. And this is different. Found particularly difficult during the pandemic when everyone was online and doing group video calls all day, every day with really tiring to someone like me.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:25:30

She living and when people were able talking in a social event for example, the noisy and dark pubs really difficult, inaccessible work event for temple health and venues With terrible.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:25:48

Acoustics and for all of these, you know, people not really asking their employer beforehand. If they require a adjustment to be able to attend those meetings with social events and theorem. Inaccessible policy for temple not letting in plain English.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:26:08

Really important for those of us who sign an English is not a first language. And haven’t policies that are not in plain English can also mean that there can be really difficult to follow. You know, we are quite literal, you know, communication.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:26:25

We like things to be black and white. We’re not great on the grey stuff and also know better. Interpretation of those policy. So these are just some of barriers that we may face in the workplace. So what are the impact of those barriers.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:26:43

It can lead to inclusion and isolation in the workplace. Though from the conversation. Event meetings and so on. Because we find it difficult to follow. What’s being said. And we cannot participate. It can also mean not being able to perform very well at work, because we haven’t got the right workplace adjustment.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:27:06

It can also mean fewer for work and promotion due to unconscious bias. And the not pointedly it can lead to mental health impact 1 in 2 of us suffer from mental health impact because of all these barriers that we face in the workplace, and also the outside of the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:27:28

We’re more likely to leave our job or retire early. To difficulties. Face that were the further told that by the R&D. Found that 60% of people with hearing loss. Had retired early on.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:27:45

Of those people 56% take it because of their hearing loss. So now, do you remove them? Those barriers We make adjustment to remove or minimise those barriers.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:28:01

They really important to discuss with you employees. What are the barriers that are facing. And then come up with the right workplace adjustment. The go through systemic the projects that you can all make to minimise those barriers in terms of environmental barriers are good way of cutting out the background noise is to perhaps have a designated um, desk in a quiet area.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:28:30

To they often with even plan offices and people sit wherever they like, depending on what’s available. But if you have a designated desk in a quiet area where they can sit, their all the time. That it can be really, really helpful and cutting out the background noise and that was something that I had to my last job.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:28:50

I had a permanent desk in a quiet area of the of the the wordplay. Meant to the new. There was employees and working and way less areas near the plenty of lighting. You know people who new BSL or relying within new to see the people they speaking to clearly and then in terms of health and safety requirements.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:29:14

I we think about a personal emergency evacuation plan. And further deaf employees, um, they can, you know, um. Be aware of when they fire alarm goes off. So the main support. Lack of vibration.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:29:30

And pager or you could train one of your paths to it to actually, um, go up to your deaf and, and alert them individually that they fire alarm is going off in terms of meeting them. The you can make before those meeting, whether they are online or offline.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:29:50

And really important to tuck in with those deaf employee. What are their communication needs What do they need to be able to follow up and at the meeting But also to participate at the meeting. So do they need to be there? Interpreters? Do they need know taker or Caption.Ed?

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:30:07

Jen thorn. But do you do often before the meeting? If we have any in-person meeting, make sure you select a quiet location with no background. Noise and think about the layout of, you know, of where people are sitting and it’s always more beneficial to have a whole or a circle layout so that people can see other people speaking, you know, really help with those of us who live with for example, um, rather than a large boardroom.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:30:42

Style. You know? Table. You may want to think about nominating the note taker. So who could take notes on the laptop or has responsibility for making sure the captions are working on on the laptop? The someone who has responsibility for note taking and if you have long meeting.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:31:02

Like two hours, two schedule break every hour. So in the people who live with like myself, it really hard work lives and other time we need their break. And other really. Important really interpreters to help their breaks to and from meeting.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:31:23

Um the accessibility and features on um on May to their working the captions are working and you might want to think about the meeting agenda in advance for your deaf and the more information you can give them, the better they’re going to be.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:31:41

And following the meeting and being able to participate in the meeting and or you can ask your employee to actually get the agenda and I think the I did, um, was actually be responsible for testing the agenda.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:31:56

And until new what was going to be discussed at the meeting. They really important In terms of adjustment during the meeting, both online and offline. Um, the online meeting, they moved everyone who’s not speaking, um, to help the cut out the background noise, which Rich maybe difficult for some of us.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:32:22

Um, turn on the captions, make sure everyone had their physio camera on record. The meeting and provide transcript. They have a a written document of what’s been discussed at the meeting But oblong meeting all find that helpful.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:32:38

If people would actually raise their hand before they start speaking. Um, I don’t have any directs the hearing to quite hard to locate the speakers. If someone can raise the hand. It means the I can lip read the right person.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:32:55

Um, don’t cover your mouth. And speak clearly, but normally, um, their over in 19 eight, you know. It really difficult to liquids if you’re over. Enunciate the words speak once a ten.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:33:10

When something quite obvious but they can if people are able talking the time it makes it difficult for us to live in. Um, the caption current cope. And it’s really difficult for the BSL interpreters to follow. What’s been said. If people are even talking and then finally look out for anyone who is an outsider, I think this is a really important point.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:33:32

If you are facilitating the meeting with room. And if you notice that your employee is not really. Uh, contributing or participating at the meeting, um, you know, ask them, do they have any question?

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:33:49

Um, or they able to follow what’s being said and give them extra time to contribute to the meeting? Um, for like my therapist, I need a bit of extra time to, um, process what’s being said before I can respond to just sort of read the room and just make sure that everyone has a time to contribute at the meeting.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:34:12

And if not being left out. In terms of in-person. Seminars and event, um, ebook being interpreters. Event. Live captioning or speech to text services, you can either arrange for someone to come and person and provide live captioning or they can dial in remotely.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:34:35

Um, this is something that e did a lot when I was working in in before video call became more common in we had them on he was dialling. Remotely. And giving me live captioning during conference calls and it was an absolute life day for me to do my job.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:34:56

Or you can do. A captain Softwares to give you the captioning that you need. Provide a listening devices in the needs them. They done a hearing loop and similar to what our mentioned about um sharing meeting agenda advance.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:35:16

Um have a think about showing an event returns and divine the more information you can give you employee. Um the best in advance. The best equipped their be um in terms being able to furlough what’s being said at the event.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:35:31

And then finally to the venue with great acoustics. Um, and has a clear view when you’re in the able to restore from those of view different In terms of communication.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:35:47

Tip always remember the our communication styles and needs. Vary. The always asked on the individual basis. How we communicate and what the we need them to ask me. I would say you no need to pacemaker.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:36:03

To. I can literally do and I would need good lighting. Um, I would be not the over in 90th. Words when they speaking and they caption for on course and so on. Please talk to us.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:36:20

Like talk to us. Let anyone else with him. Please. They ignore us. Um, definitely can be a lonely and isolating disability. Don’t worry about offending. Know if you get it wrong, which is educated.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:36:36

Next time. But please talk to us. And be respectful in the language. Really important and the may want to think about learning some basic. Style, language as the so many ways of doing this. You can do this with trained BSL tutors or you can learn them really basic phrases, um, from the RNA and the website.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:36:58

They, you know, it’s a fun language. Learn. Have a go. Always knew plain English verbally and in writing and I mentioned before. For many BSL users. English is the second language and plain English is so much easier to understand.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:37:15

So some tips there. The new the kind of informal language that you would need when you’re speaking to a friend or family member. So avoids any sort of technical words or jargon. Um, if you need to need them.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:37:30

Make sure you include a definition. And as I mentioned before, we’re very black and white sometimes in terms of our communication. The new literary language. Rather than fancy language. And we’re not great in the greater.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:37:45

We’re quite literal to avoid things like message boards and new, um, like new interest Photo competition can be really hard work for for in the a joining the competition.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:38:01

Over the someone interested topics that different they might want to say things like oh well we’re talking about the football game last night. What you know what do you think about the football game? And in that way. You know, we can get on board quickly.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:38:18

What everyone is talking about. And then in terms of those events, you know, always think about, um, having those events, um, that can be more inclusive to in locations that are very lit. And don’t have too much background noise. And in that way that helped to join in in the social conversation.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:38:38

And finally, I would the deaf personal asked you to repeat something. Please don’t say it doesn’t matter or I tell you another time, it does matter. All the GP patient just repeat what is, uh, maybe rephrased it differently, but it doesn’t matter.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:39:01

Um, and we to be able to to join in the competition. If you are manager, just just know tips and how to manage them and how to hearing law and you know, think about creating that really important, uh, psychological safe space where your employer can feel comfortable about opening up and talking about their hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:39:28

Um, so it’s really important to manager that you create that space. Um, and when you do talk to them. Just normalise that conversation. You know, have their conversation is regular basis and really listening to your employee and when they’re talking about their issue with there any judgement or bias.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:39:49

Understand barriers that they are facing while they’re doing their job. And then ask them what to they need to be able to do that. Job. And then be proactive in providing that, um, assessable support And while we have no compensation with them, mate, you need to language and be respectful And also employers.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:40:13

How they would like to have a themselves or not. Everyone likes the word disability. For example. Some people don’t like it because they think it too negative. Um, and they will rather, you know, serve, identify differently.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:40:29

And personally don’t have a problem with the word disability. I identify myself as a debuts employee to tables person. But all of them would like to their identify themselves and then know where to go within the business for extra help.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:40:44

Around workplace adjustment. You know, do your homework. You know, know. How to get the HR policy. For example. Or how to get in touch with the occupational health team. Um, or how to get in touch with your IT team to put in place a technology.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:41:02

So you know, do your homework. Know where to go to get that to help remember your legal responsibilities around workplace and employers have a legal duty to put in place with, um, reasonable workplace adjustment to help a proper process in place for a recording and also reviewing the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:41:26

Adjustment. And then finally, what the talk. If you are manager or a leader. Be explicit in your every day behaviour that the importance of understanding and valuing difference in people you know, be that inclusive leader really important.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:41:43

It also helps to create that safe space. We talked about earlier. Um, to encourage people to open up and talk about their hearing loss. Their working. You do at alive to create that deep and inclusive workplace and foster.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:42:00

Allyship. It requires every one of you in the team applying and behaviours as airline with your manager. A leader or just a team member. And these will help to create that really important psychological safe space for deaf people can be the authentic self.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:42:21

And feel that they belong there can then be more willing to open up, talk about their hearing loss and asked for help. And inclusive and safe workplace. Also helped employees to thrive and contribute their best inclusive behaviours will foster real allyship in the workplace.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:42:45

When being inclusive of everyone in the workplace. So what are those general inclusive behaviour that everyone can adopt? Every day? The on the next slide terms of inclusive behaviour that you can adopt for all disability.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:43:05

Not just hearing loss and and something that you can do every day. Remember disability is a spectrum. You know every one of us is a unique individual with unique needs. We are not the same. There.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:43:20

Always look at each one of them on an individual basis. Don’t make assumptions about what we need and can do. We can’t possibly know. All the wrong question and be curious to learn about our disability and live experiences to making the wrong assumption.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:43:42

We need the allow expectations around what we can do always extreme that we can maybe we will focus on our and not our disability. That focussed on what we can do Despite our disability or not. What we can’t do because of their disability.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:43:59

Turkish and biases. We all have them, you know, subconscious part of our brain understand where that come from. And then work to remove them. Otherwise they can impact in the way that you work with them. Flexible style.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:44:17

Or was what is the best way to work with that? That accommodate our disability. Like deafness and the new Flex work style? I know keep banging on about this, but please talk to her. You know we are human.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:44:34

Find they’ve spaces to listen to our issues without judgement and biases. And learn about accessibility and inclusion. Educate yourself. That reflect in your privilege. You know, how do we think about what you can do as an able person that perhaps it is David person can’t do and the need you privilege to raise awareness and advocate for us.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:44:59

Take proactive steps to I to bring down the barriers and create a more inclusive workplace for be that active ally and not just the bystander. And while you there. Call out non-inclusive behaviours in other that may make people feel devalued.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:45:16

Be brave. Call it out and give them feedback to help them change their behaviour. To. Thirdly after three magic words all you okay? How can we help?

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:45:33

What do you need to normalise the conversation and help them on a regular basis? And then finally practice empathy. Not empathy. We don’t need to feel sorry for.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:45:48

We just want you to show empathy underlying all of these behaviours. Is empathy. Some of us have it impact on our born with empathy, but those less so. But you can work on it and develop empathy.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:46:05

Empathy is a hallmark of an AXA ally, someone who really listened to her understanding and support her Was going to leave you with a few takeaway. Points. The more people with hearing loss than you think you know.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:46:22

Hearing the non disability with no obvious difference. And then think about whether any of those barriers that we cover today is just in your workplace and what you can do to help bring down those barriers to people with hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:46:38

Remember deafness can be a lonely and isolating disability. So foster real allyship in the workplace by demonstrating our inclusive behaviour. To create that inclusive state and inclusive workplace where deaf people can belong and thrive.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:46:58

Daisy want you to leave. You with one final thing. This was a quote from one of my former colleagues, and I think it’s a really good quote to share with you and basically said, if you do Intend include them by way of inclusive behaviours.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:47:16

You can end up Unintentionally exclusionary. So I think it’s down to all of us. To really intentionally inclusive way of inclusive behaviours. And at the same time create that day inclusive, um, and accessible workplace for people with hearing loss.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:47:38

So at the end of today’s webinar, um, and thank you to listening. And, and I’m going to pass it to Claire for some questions. Thank you. Hi, Sarah.

Claire Dibben – 00:47:53

Thank you so much for sharing your presentation with us today. Um, if you’re able to you’ve already done it. I was going to say Stop sharing your screen. You’re on the ball, Sarah. Um, thank you so much for that.

Claire Dibben – 00:48:09

I think for me, there was a real, like, the biggest takeaway or like the epiphany for me was just, um. When you talked about exclusion and people feeling isolated from, you know, those behaviours in, in the workplace, whether intentional or unintentional.

Claire Dibben – 00:48:27

So, um, thank you for certainly raising my awareness to to that outcome. And the impact that it can have for people with hearing loss in the workplace. Um, we’ve had a few messages in the chat and we’ve got some questions as well.

Claire Dibben – 00:48:43

So Sarah will use the next five minutes to go through some of those questions, which have come in. So we’ve had a couple here from attendees which are focussed around social events at work. So someone has said, um, in my workplace, we try to vary the events that we offer.

Claire Dibben – 00:49:01

Since everyone is different and enjoys different things. But I’m always worried that most of our events. Do tend to run in the evenings outside working hours in venues that are darker and noisier. So they’ve asked if you have any particular social events which you’d recommend, which are better or more accessible for welcoming deaf people

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:49:21

Yeah, I think it is difficult one, because, you know, people do tend to go out in the evenings and maybe sort of gravitate towards pubs and restaurants. But I think it really in addition to all of us being a little bit more creative and think, outside the box.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:49:38

Um, you don’t have to socialise in the evening. You can, you know, socialise. Linked in and you can do, do things that maybe go out for walk. In and or go to a coffee shop that is quieter and it, you know, linked.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:49:57

That’s in the quiet restaurant. I think, you know, it trying to be a bit more creative and thinking outside the box. Really. And sometimes actually people who don’t have a hearing loss. May prefer not to socialise after work because they’ve got, um, tired to think about.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:50:15

So it can actually benefit other people, not just people with a hearing loss. And but it is really, you know, it talking and think Okay. Um, what else can we do with our employers with hearing loss? That must more inclusive and also I mean, what they would like to do, you know, would they prefer to go out for a walk or do something that’s more inclusive for them?

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:50:40

And rather than just gravitate to the pub and, you know, noisy restaurants? And I think I think there’s a trend that moving away from that anyway. Um, but you know, term may have an event in the pub perhaps that’s not they shouldn’t have any event in the pub, but just just being a bit more varied, a bit more flexible.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:51:05

Um, but I think the first thing to do is to ask your deaf employee what would be beneficial for them.

Claire Dibben – 00:51:12

That’s such a valid point, Sarah. Just, you know, asking, um, and then you’re getting the feedback that you’re after. I suppose just to segway away from the questions for a second. We’re getting some really wonderful comments in the chat following your presentation.

Claire Dibben – 00:51:28

Um, and I just want to read some of those out to you now. So, um, thank you. Sarah. So helpful. And insightful. Hazel says thank you so much, Sarah. Very helpful and lots to think about. Um, and just people saying thank you and how useful this has been. So yes, I want to echo those sentiments as well.

Claire Dibben – 00:51:46

Absolutely. Um, so we’ve had some more questions come in. And this one here from an anonymous attendee says, do you have any advice for people applying for assistive technology? Via access to work

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:52:01

Um, yeah. I think there’s a problem with the work at the moment. And probably not the best question. And that’s been a lot of delay with the person. Um, I know of. Some people have been waiting for months and also I think, um, I don’t think I’m not really up to date with what’s going on with to, but I think there are actually a whole the whole system.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:52:26

Um, if you, um. Above up, up heard horror stories of people who have applied, um, and it’s been a long time coming and getting going from access to work. So personally, um, I was very lucky, you know, working for, um, firm that can afford to pay for the technology.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:52:47

To, um. Without having to apply for, um, access to work and if you need something quickly and you can afford to pay for it. It with personally, um, you know, get your employers to pay for it. New upfront.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:53:03

And I do know that there is a problem with access to work at the moment. It’s just been very slow. And I think the key thing is, is to get your workplace adjustment in place as quickly as possible. As enable you to do the job. Um, but also to make sure that you’re going to be reviewing.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:53:20

Fairly when you come to performance review. So you know, any workplace can have needs to be put in place before you have your performance review. Otherwise it’s not going to be a very person. There is anywhere that’s really help in.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:53:35

But, um, you know, it I just think if the employer can actually pay for it quickly, I think that’s probably the best option

Claire Dibben – 00:53:43

It certainly given, um, some people food for thought in the chat, Anushka said they’re running at over. They being accessed to work are running at over 30 weeks from application to them. Contacting you back. Um, Alice says that, um, people that they work with applied in February and March.

Claire Dibben – 00:54:03

Last year are still waiting, which speaks to your point. Sarah, around the importance of, um, that accelerator accessibility and inclusion. Um, being led by the business and like the business, absolutely not.

Claire Dibben – 00:54:18

Software for people because then it means that you don’t have to wait and you, you know, you don’t have to wait and go through the lengthy process to access to work. You can get access to the assistive technology and software and hardware that you need through your work in order to be more, more productive.

Claire Dibben – 00:54:34

Um, so it does mean that they can perform in their job.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:54:37

So and, you know, and I think it really important for managers to really get on board the whole process as quickly as possible because, you know, there are some statistics around work and managing being very slow in putting workplace adjustment in place as well.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:54:54

So I mean. There are think, you you managers need education on how to put workplaces and place you quickly as possible. And because there are you know, there are some districts around people waiting for like a year for their managers to put the adjustments in place.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:55:12

Let alone at the work through the trainings. Be held around really? Yeah, for sure.

Claire Dibben – 00:55:20

And I suppose can form part of it. So like I mentioned at the start, for anyone on the webinar, um, we do record these sessions. So if you want to increase awareness throughout your team, throughout your business. Please do feel free to share the link with your colleagues and with your peers as well Um, so we’ve got five minutes of the webinar left.

Claire Dibben – 00:55:39

Um, and um, thank you everyone. Firstly, for all of your questions. Um, we’ve had a few comments. Come in through the Q&A. As well. Just people pointing out some stuff that one person has said. Paul, if you work all manage a deaf person, remember that they may miss tons of information.

Claire Dibben – 00:55:56

If your team talks, um over each other. So don’t penalise that person. If they lak certain information related to work, that’s an observation that someone’s made. Um, so yes, thanks for sharing that. Paul. Um, someone else as well.

Claire Dibben – 00:56:11

Has talked about adjustments, suggestions and said that if there is a Q&A. The person answering the question should repeat the question. They’re going to answer this person says they. Um, they concentrate really hard to hear one person and switching between the main speaker and someone in the audience is quite sort of fatiguing for them.

Claire Dibben – 00:56:31

Um, so again, thank you everyone, for your contributions. I did say this at the start, but the real power for me in these skill sessions is the community that we bring together. And all of these sort of responses that we share with each other. So, um, Sarah, I just want to say thank you. So much again for your time today.

Claire Dibben – 00:56:47

And we’ve just had the most wonderful feedback and thanks coming through for you in the chat as well. Um, we’ve had some people mention, uh, Caption.Ed in the chat. Um, and I will just take the opportunity to remind people about what I said at the start of this webinar.

Claire Dibben – 00:57:03

If you are interested in knowing how Caption.Ed, which is captioning a note taking software, can help. Um, disabled or neurodivergent people in your workplace, we’re running a webinar next week. It’s on the 16th of Jan. There will be a link in the chat. I’m hoping.

Claire Dibben – 00:57:18

Um, but certainly in the follow up email afterwards, as well. Um, so if you enjoy today’s webinar, please can you help us spread the word and share skill with your LinkedIn network? Bit of word of mouth. Helps and we’re really eager to grow this community.

Claire Dibben – 00:57:33

And just create a really valuable network for people, whether you’re neurodivergent yourself or your manage a team of people in an organisation and you want to better understand how to support, um, so I have mentioned that we have the product demo webinar.

Claire Dibben – 00:57:49

Next week on the 16th of Jan. So keep an eye on your emails for a link to register for that. Uh, next month. Skill Sessions is back again. Um, and we have Ben and Noor from not on the high street. You may have heard of them. You may have bought your Christmas presents from there. Um, and they will be talking to us about working groups.

Claire Dibben – 00:58:06

So you can sign up for that session. Now on our website. The registrations are live or keep an eye on our LinkedIn page. Just search for CareScribe. Keep an eye on your emails for more. Exciting. Speaker announcements coming soon. Um, but I just want to say thank you once again.

Claire Dibben – 00:58:22

Thank you so much to Sarah for your presentation today. It was incredibly valuable and what a way to kick off the year. Um, thank you so much, everyone. In a moment, we’re going to share a link to a feedback survey that will be in the chat as well. And you can request a certificate of attendance.

Claire Dibben – 00:58:37

Thank you. So much. And I will see you next month for the next session. Thank you again, Sarah, for your time. It was really wonderful to hear from you today. You welcome.

Sarah Petherbridge – 00:58:48

Thank you everyone. Thank you. Bye

Claire Dibben – 00:58:50

Bye.

 

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