Hearing loss can make any work situation more challenging. I happen to have been in the position of owning and operating a family business when I suddenly lost all hearing in one ear. It’s been interesting navigating work and hearing loss from a leadership position. 

My job has aspects that are like an office job, but I also handle a large amount of customer service and face to face interaction. While I spend a lot of time on administrative tasks, I also do a lot of human resources activities as well as customer support.  It’s the sort of career where I wear a lot of hats and have a lot of variety built into my day to day life. While this keeps life interesting and the job from stagnating, it also increases complexity for strategizing for my hearing loss.

In many ways, being the boss creates opportunity and flexibility. If I decide that I need a hearing loss accommodation, I don’t have to go through an approval process. I can adjust systems as I need to help me be successful in my daily life. I have a lot of control in my work life as well, which can be really useful. If something larger scale like a remodel is discussed I can bring my hearing loss into the planning stages and hopefully impact the outcome to make it more accessible. In many ways, being the boss gives me a lot of freedom to incorporate my hearing loss successfully into my job.

However, as the boss, creating hearing loss solutions really falls on my shoulders. I have to come up with and implement the solutions, sometimes with my family’s help, but there is no outside HR department (or any other helpful department). I have to do all my own research and legwork to come up with accommodations.

I also frequently feel a lot of pressure as the boss. I feel like I have less wiggle room to make a mistake because I misheard a customer. It can make interactions feel really high stakes because I feel that customers may give staff grace but they won’t extend that to an owner. I feel like I really need to be on and focused at all times. It can be extremely draining.

Our business employs quite a few people and navigating employee relations as a boss with hearing loss can be a challenge. Typically I try to inform new staff right away of my hearing loss as well as good communication strategies to help them successfully interact with me. Nonetheless, it can be hard navigating new relationships. We are a seasonal business so we have lots of student staff, and it can be daunting for them to assert themselves in conversation to make sure that I can understand.

Also, as the boss, I am frequently covering when things go awry. That can mean working really long hours or doing tasks that aren’t designed for my hearing loss as I am just stepping in short term. At times, being “the buck stops here” person means that I am navigating challenging situations with little to no lead time.

I have taken classes on hearing loss in the workplace through the Hearing Loss Association of America. In one of those sessions, it was recommended that sometimes switching careers may be the right play to help you be successful as a person with hearing loss. As the third generation to own and operate my family business, switching careers doesn’t really feel like an option. I know I could if I had to, but it is a very cataclysmic life choice. I have so much invested in this career that I typically find the daily costs worth it.

Like anything, some days are good and some are hard. At times I feel like I can really add tools and strategies to minimize my struggles with hearing at work. Other times I feel so deaf, or so exhausted, or just so defeated at the end of a long work day. I try to learn from what works and get creative to alter areas with repetitive struggles. I also keep in mind that some days I will just take it in the teeth and that’s ok. If I know in advance I have an extra challenging work day I plan on the corresponding fatigue. I also try to remember that no one can do everything, and its ok to let go of tasks that I really struggle with. While I would certainly never describe my job as hearing loss friendly, most days I make it work.