Most employers are not prepared for the necessary adjustments required for hearing loss among older employers, according to research from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID).

The health charity’s report contains qualitative interviews with hearing aid users throughout the UK.

One participant said: “The manager was so nasty to me all the time, any time I made a mistake. He was like that to everyone who had a disability.” (Female, under 60, working in Northern Ireland.)

Some hearing impaired workers feared losing their jobs, while others were unwilling to tell colleague as they believed they may be seen as less capable and the expectations others would have of their performance and professionalism would change.

RNID’s executive director of advocacy and policy, Brian Lamb, says: “There is a lot of discussion around extended working lives and the implications for pensions and families. What hasn’t been explored is whether employers have considered the adjustments they should make to accommodate a diverse and older workforce to ensure they can still work effectively.

“Our research suggests that employers are yet to address the impact hearing loss can have on a person’s work. We want to see all organisations wake up to the needs of their older employees and promote hearing health to their workforce.”