This year’s Deaf Awareness Week runs from 5^th – 11^th May 2025. The theme is “beyond silence”, highlighting the importance of looking beyond the common misconceptions about deafness and hearing loss.

The week aims to encourage greater understanding of the diverse ways deaf and hard of hearing people communicate.  In workplaces this may include BSL (British Sign Language), lip-reading, assistive technology, and written communication.

The UK employment rate for those with hearing loss is 65%, compared with 79% of those with no disability or long-term health issue.

On average, those with hearing loss are paid £2,000 less per year than the general population.

 

How can your workplace be more deaf aware?

• If you are talking to a deaf person, face them
• Talk clearly, slowly and steadily
• Don’t cover your mouth
• Be mindful of background noise
• Think about accessibility for things like meetings, training and team building exercises
• Deliver deaf awareness training, and sign language training

 

Where can you seek support?

If you are supporting employees in the workplace who are deaf or suffer hearing loss, you can consider various methods of support, including Access to Work (a government body who support disabled employees to stay in employment), assistive technology, specialist Deaf charities or support services, GPs, or Occupational Health.

 

Discrimination

It is estimated that 56% of deaf or hard of hearing employees have experienced discrimination during their career, with 25% leaving a job because of this.  More than 1 in 3 (37%) experience discrimination at the interview stage.

 

If you require any support with managing employees who are deaf, or have any other disability or support need, please contact us (team@hrprime.co.uk) and we can talk you through different support available, support you to carry out risk assessments, and provide any other assistance to ensure fair, timely management of cases.