This week is International Week of the d/Deaf, this year’s focus? Inclusion d/Deafness. So in honour of that we put together an article for you from experts on how to create a more d/Deaf-inclusive workplace.&nbsp;Also let's learn together - if there is anything that we forgot or you would like us to add <a href="https://twitter.com/50inTech/status/1573241343433908225?s=20&amp;t=xG8wJR5aopi-N_K99RpTaw">let us know on Twitter HERE</a>!But first a little context…&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/XqnnnYz837_CF6bx3WCE6-kCQn8N6G2CiAiFmJN4kf6-4J_Qr2cWY55YqWHVMlJsEIY-Tc6NRCNEF-lQRop8SSm5jWna6nb9-FcHE-lgRdXG54D4VImdE0oy1jzrqUSDINAzMFAfHZ94Q-wKH1ai_ktCo0utxTaNa2ZX7O9HzAq1f39N0_joL70lzg"><figcaption>ALT text: The difference between ‘deaf’ and ‘Deaf’. Person standing on left ‘deaf’ - may not attend school for the deaf, describe hearing loss only in medical terms, identifies with hearing people, does not associate with the deaf community. Person standing on right ‘Deaf’ - strong deaf identity, consider themselves culturally deaf, attends schools and programs for the deaf, member of deaf community.</figcaption></figure>Image credit: <a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/deaf-culture-big-d-small-d-1046233">Very Well Health</a> by Jamie BerkeWhat is the term “d/Deaf”?“Deaf, written with a capital D, describes a person who defines themselves as part of Deaf culture, separate to other disability cultures. They interact and communicate mostly with other Deaf people using BSL. The majority of Deaf people were born with little or no hearing. People who lose their hearing tend to use the term deaf without a capital d.” - Inclusive Companies&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/QpF6Ap3BOCwncBpNRP46WRT_BG3c9dfHYbCBz2ILVxerNj7AP9cmIQRURio_myyjOZT5GHww7lw9lGpX3zP5j1Zj8K6uV3l7C7t76P2cOk48qqG4kmF_j4j4Ub9KEU8O6DNUdd89__LsA50TK2vAbbP2SjDQFafEdPAuOH8L_XvIPgyYCYi2a28HhA"><figcaption>ALT text: Types of hearing loss venn diagram. In the left bubble: Sensorineural - aging, noise damage, drug side effects, auditory tumors, blast/explosion. In the middle bubble: Mixed - genetic disorders, infections, head trauma. In the right bubble: Conductive - fluid, foreign objects, allergies, ruptured eardrum, impacted earwax.</figcaption></figure>Image credit <a href="https://houghear.org/bhsm/">Hough Ear Institute</a>What are the different types of hearing loss?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthyhearing.com/help/hearing-loss/types#about-author-mandy-mroz">Mandy Mroz</a>, AuD, President, Healthy Hearing shares the following:&nbsp;“The main types of hearing loss are sorted into three categories.<ul><li>Sensorineural hearing loss, which means there is a problem occurring in either the inner ear or the auditory nerve, which delivers sound to the brain. Learn more about <a href="https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/53241-How-we-hear-explainer-hearing">how we hear</a> to understand where the inner ear is and what it does.</li><li>Conductive hearing loss, which means sound is not reaching the inner ear, usually due to an obstruction, deformity or trauma in the outer or middle ear, such as microtia.</li><li>Mixed hearing loss means the hearing loss is being caused by a combination of the two.”</li></ul>The statistics &nbsp;At 50inTech we talk a lot about the data for women in Tech in Europe, however for this article we are going a bit broader to follow the data that is accessible… &nbsp;Global context: According to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss">WHO</a>, it is estimated that by 2050 over 700 million people – or one in every ten people – will have disabling hearing loss. &nbsp;“Among people who are employed, a higher percentage of deaf people than hearing people are self-employed (11.6% vs. 9.8%)” – <a href="https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/sites/default/files/Deaf%20People%20and%20Employment%20in%20the%20United%20States_%202019%20(7.26.19)(ENGLISH)(WEB).pdf">National Deaf Center</a>This can be in part attributed to feelings of isolation from lack of inclusion and straight up discrimination as demonstrated in a study by Totaljobs (<a href="https://www.totaljobs.com/advice/deaf-discrimination-in-the-workplace">learn more here</a>).In a report titled “<a href="https://www.nationaldeafcenter.org/resource/deaf-people-and-employment-united-states?fbclid=IwAR3LKO2MsIHs3faz2FTvshrYMIGg08Bs3fmz0n5TMTJcrbOsU7mlpc6i2-Q">Deaf People and Employment in the United States: 2019</a>” the following statistics were reported:“61.1% of deaf men versus 50.5% of deaf women are in the labor force, a statistically significant difference. The employment gap between men and women is 11.8% among hearing people and 10.6% among deaf people.”<blockquote>“Gender gaps in employment are not significantly different between deaf and hearing people. However, the wage gap is significantly larger for deaf women. Deaf women earn 77 cents for each dollar that deaf men earn, while hearing women earn 83 cents for each dollar that hearing men earn.”&nbsp;</blockquote>New signs for d/Deaf people wanting to work in TechJust this past March 2022, over 500 terms and words were created for BSL specifically for skills and jobs in digital technology! This opens up accessibility and inclusion for those wanting to pursue a career in tech.&nbsp;Learn more &amp; discover the new signs here:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/news-events/2022/march/new-bsl-signs-launched-for-deaf-people-wanting-to-work-in-tech/">https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/news-events/2022/march/new-bsl-signs-launched-for-deaf-people-wanting-to-work-in-tech/</a>The pandemic &amp; inclusion of d/Deaf individuals in the workplaceThe pandemic had a huge impact on the way we work from the rise of the great resignation to deeper feelings of burnout, however there are a few positives that came from this unprecedented global health crisis.&nbsp;To learn more, take it from Meryl Evans, in her Tedx Talk:&nbsp;<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx8gGP79QTY"></oembed></figure>Here is a mini recap of some key points:<ul><li>Lip readers only catch 1/3 of words that are said</li><li>The pandemic normalized caption video call allowing for more inclusion and connection</li><li>You should always “Always have a second way [to communicate],ready to go”</li><li>“Help you connect with someone who may feel invisible”</li></ul><h2>How to help create a d/Deaf-inclusive workplace?</h2>First, as we recommend with any inclusion of the workplace, your best guide is your employees themselves. Ask THEM what tools or accommodations they would like but do not force them into a role of advocate.&nbsp;<h3>It all begins in the company culture that is supported by top management&nbsp;</h3><ul><li>Take the time and budget to invest in education and training, this can include d/Deaf awareness training and/or sign language classes (especially to HR/leaders)</li><li>Distribute learning resources or materials to help create a culture of communication.</li><li>Encourage all employees to provide feedback via anonymous channels, especially regarding accessibility and accommodations.</li><li>Provide career-path support, guidance and/or mentorship that is accessible to all (such as via an interpreter)</li><li>“Apply inclusion efforts to the full employee lifecycle, including recruiting and hiring” - Julie Harris, LinkedIn Top Voice in Disability Advocacy&nbsp;</li></ul>Also do NOT forget the creation of concrete anti-harassment policies and anonymous reporting systems!&nbsp;<h3>Rethink the way that you communciate</h3><ul><li>In the event of an emergency, have you provided a way to visually or physically signify to employees the exit plan or solution? <a href="https://corporate.zalando.com/en/diversity-inclusion/creating-inclusive-workplace-deaf-coworkers">This could include providing phones that vibrate</a> like at Zolando.</li><li>Use video conferencing tools that allow for accurate live closed captions.</li><li>Assign someone to take meeting notes during calls and disperse them to everyone.</li><li>Help d/Deaf employees feel included in office activities, meetings and parties.</li><li>121 Captions advises that you position yourself in the best spot for speaking verbally:&nbsp; “avoid covering your mouth and enunciate your words clearly” and for someone who uses an interpreter to speak directly to the person instead of their interpreter.</li><li>Remember what Meryl Evans shared: "You should always “Always have a second way [to communicate], ready to go”</li></ul><h3>Let’s talk about the workplace/space itself</h3><ul><li>Reflect on your meeting structure, for in person meetings what are the acoustics like? Is there an interpreter available?</li><li>In conversations, do you encourage one person to speak at a time?</li><li>Do you play loud music or have difficult acoustics? If you are wondering how you can improve, you can invest in an assessment of your space. Learn about Charle’s experience as a deaf person in an office <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/careers/careers-blog/deaf-office-workers">here</a>.</li></ul>

Making your workplace d/Deaf inclusive

Tara Johnson