The Power of Inclusion: Awareness, Action and Accessibility for Deaf Employees

Deaf Awareness Week is just around the corner which means there’s no time like the present for workplaces to reassess their accessibility for deaf employees and take action. 

Celebrated from the 5th-11th of May, Deaf Awareness Week aims to raise awareness about the deaf community and advocate for fair access to services.

Whether it’s a private organisation or public sector service, employers up and down the UK are responsible for creating a diverse workforce where all employees are valued, regardless of their hearing status.

To celebrate Deaf Awareness Week, recruitment agency Spencer Clarke Group is exploring how employers can promote deaf awareness in the workplace.

There are a number of ways an organisation can make themselves more inclusive for deaf employees, including:

• Training staff and creating awareness.

• Adopting inclusive hiring practices.

• Using captions across training and business videos.

• Providing assistive technology and equipment.

• Collaborating with organisations who promote deaf awareness.

• Including deaf representation in company wide decision making.

• Creating inclusive signage for the workplace.

• Allowing flexible working opportunities. 

Training staff and creating awareness

An essential part of building an inclusive workplace is ensuring that existing team members are trained to effectively communicate with deaf colleagues. Creating awareness around the ways in which deaf people communicate is essential and employers should take responsibility for educating their employees on the barriers that deaf individuals may face. A better understanding of these barriers will help existing employees adapt and effectively communicate with deaf team members.

Whether it’s learning British Sign Language or providing training sessions on inclusive communication, training staff is an effective way to mitigate misconceptions and reduce hesitations within interactions. 

A team who feel well connected and are able to effectively communicate are more likely to reach their goals and achieve better job satisfaction. Ensuring that deaf employees feel respected by the rest of their team is also vital for creating an inclusive workplace. 

Adopting inclusive hiring practices

When expanding a team, it’s essential that employers create an inclusive recruitment process. Adopting an inclusive hiring practice means taking steps to actively remove barriers that might prevent a deaf candidate from taking part or succeeding with a job application.

For example, employers should make an effort to offer alternative interview formats for deaf candidates. This might include hiring someone to conduct an interview in British Sign Language. 

Job descriptions should focus on the skills a person will need to succeed in a position, rather than skills that make references to hearing ability, such as ‘effective listening skills’. Whilst employers may include this to attract someone who can work well as a team, they are at risk of marginalising deaf candidates.

An inclusive hiring process will reflect positively on an employer and demonstrate their commitment to inclusivity from the outset. If an employer has implemented an inclusive hiring process, there is a good chance that these values are reflected within their work culture. They are also more likely to encourage deaf candidates, who might be exactly what they are looking for, to apply for their role.  

Using captions across training and business video

A simple and effective measure for enhancing inclusivity in a workplace, captions across video material ensure accessibility for deaf employees and those who are hard of hearing.

An employer should ensure that any captions they add to training or business material are accurate, clear and on screen long enough for a deaf employee to read. It’s no use trying to be inclusive by using captions but them being too small or disappearing too quickly.

Whether it’s onboarding material for a new employee, safety information or internal communications from senior leadership to employees, material should be accessible for all employees to engage with. 

Many apps now include an option to auto-generate captions but these must always be checked for accuracy. Employers are responsible for creating a workplace where no one feels left out.

Providing assistive technology and equipment

To effectively support the independent working of deaf employees, employers must make a conscious effort to implement assistive technology and equipment within the workplace. 

From real-time captioning software to visual alert systems, the right tools can boost a deaf employee's productivity, ensure they feel safe in the workplace, empower their confidence and demonstrate a workplace's proactive approach to creating an inclusive workplace. 

Collaborating with organisations who promote deaf awareness

In order for an employer to continuously improve their accessibility for deaf employees, they are encouraged to collaborate with an organisation that promotes deaf awareness. 

Such organisations are a great source of expertise to equip an employer with the tools they require for long-term inclusivity.

Collaborations display a genuine pledge to inclusion and workshops, sign language classes and accessibility audits are all essential for creating an informed, inclusive workforce. 

Including deaf representation in company wide decision making

Whilst most company decision-making will be made by a senior leadership team, including a deaf representative ensures that the perspectives of deaf employees are acknowledged.

Whether a company employs one or many deaf employees, they should make an effort to ensure that policies and workplace culture are inclusive. 

Asking deaf employees for feedback is also a beneficial way to make sure an employer is doing all it can to make the work environment a positive experience. For example, if a deaf employee highlights a need for better visual signage or flexible working requirements, an employer is responsible for taking this feedback on board and actioning appropriate changes. 

Representation is key for empowering deaf employees and showing them that their ideas, perspectives and feedback are just as important as any other member of a team. 

Creating inclusive signage for the workplace

Being able to confidently and independently get around a workplace is essential for empowering deaf employees. Visual signage that can be easily seen and understood can help deaf employees make sense of their surroundings. 

Visual cues, such as a flashing light, may also be required to replace a sound that signals an emergency like a fire alarm. Equipping a workplace with signs and visual cues can help deaf employees feel safe in their surroundings and navigate the space effectively. 

Allowing flexible working opportunities

Flexibility within the working day can help deaf employees. For example, a deaf employee may prefer to work from home or within a less stimulating environment where they can work more easily. 

Employers should accommodate a deaf employees' preferences regarding their work environment in order to maximise their employee experience. 

Should an employer not be equipped with the right tools or technology for a deaf employee, allowing them to work from home might increase productivity and job satisfaction. 

Why is it important for workplaces to be inclusive for deaf employees?

Inclusivity in the workplace is essential for empowering, supporting and retaining deaf employees in the workplace.

An employer who demonstrates a strong commitment to making their business as accessible as possible for deaf employees is more likely to attract and retain outstanding candidates. 

Giving deaf employees the correct support and showing willingness to adapt a workplace can increase productivity, job satisfaction and overall employee experience.

Demonstrating accessibility doesn’t just help deaf employees, it shows an employer's overall commitment to creating a diverse workforce and breaking down societal barriers. 

Employers should make a continuous conscious effort to create awareness, take action and improve accessibility for deaf employees. 

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Spencer Clarke Group is a public and private sector recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. They help businesses nationwide to find experienced and qualified staff to continue their vital operations. This includes local authorities, schools, NHS Trusts and accountancy practices. 

After working for local recruitment agencies for years, Spencer Clarke Group was established in 2017 by Mike Shorrock as he believed in a better standard of client service and candidate care. 

Mike’s biggest passion is to provide a workplace where employees feel truly valued; he believes in the well known adage, if you look after your employees, they will look after your customers. 

After growing exponentially since 2017, Spencer Clarke Group was named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the 2024 Recruiter Awards.

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