Jackie Ballard
We all know someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. But do you know if you work alongside someone with hearing loss? How aware are you of their communication needs? There are nine million people who are deaf or hard of hearing in the UK and as the age of retirement rises a large proportion will be working.
Public sector organisations have a duty to ensure that they communicate appropriately and effectively with people who are deaf or hard of hearing in order to meet their needs, whether in the workplace or in service provision.
RNID statistics support the assertion that deaf people are missing out on employment opportunities or losing valuable services because employers aren't deaf aware, so a public manager has to ask whether they are adding to the problem.
A recent RNID survey found that the two big barriers that deaf people face in the workplace are lack of deaf awareness among all staff and, importantly, the attitudes of managers. Some things are simple and common sense, like having clear signs in all areas such as lifts and reception or making sure that a person who is deaf or hard of hearing is sitting, in good light, facing his or her colleagues so that they can see their faces to lipread.
Attitudes and perceptions towards deafness
Whether they manage a small team or a large government department, all managers can change attitudes and perceptions towards deafness. It's all about breaking down the potential barriers that an organisation could be presenting without even realising. The first step should be deaf awareness training for all managers and their staff. There is a lot of support, training and advice from RNID and others, which is a good starting place for any public manager who doesn't know where to turn.
A manager should open up the recruitment pool by advertising job opportunities on deaf-related recruitment websites such as DeafJobs UK and make sure application forms are easy to understand and interview procedures accessible to all people with disabilities. Standards for this are set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Managers should also support employees through ensuring they have work based assessments and have access to suitable communication support/equipment to enable them to work effectively. It doesn't cost a fortune and many public sector employers will be able to apply for grants from schemes such as Access To Work. Government grants can also cover training staff on how to deal with text relay phone calls and providing induction loops, which is a legal requirement in NHS services and schools.
Sometimes it's also about thinking outside the normal parameters and thinking of other ways to communicate. Could information be sent through text messaging (SMS)?
Could some clips be included on a website in sign language? Have services been audited for accessibility for sensory loss as well as physical disability? Is information about services available in a variety of formats and in accessible plain English?
Most importantly a manager needs to be a good listener and to speak to customers and employees to ensure that feedback is gathered in an inclusive way. For example, if a public manager wants feedback on their services through a focus group, support and communication needs should be in place to encourage people who are deaf or hard of hearing to take part.
RNID has been running deaf awareness training for over 20 years now. There are some excellent examples of public sector organisations that have ensured they are accessible to people who are deaf including HMRC, Northants Police, Bedford Council, Bristol Primary Care Trust and Metropolitan Police.
We also offer a Louder Than Words Chartermark, which is a 10-point standard relating to customer care and employees, which has been awarded to two Jobcentre Plus Centre districts, Carers Allowance Unit and Derbyshire Police.
But more public sector organisations need to be more accessible to make sure they are recruiting from the best available talent and that will only happen through the leadership and example shown by managers.
Jackie Ballard is chief executive of RNID
From Flip Chart Fairy Tales
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From Whitehall Watch
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