July is Disability Pride. Here, Sally Chalk of AI powered sign language translation technology Signapse, looks at how business leaders can support their Deaf colleagues throughout their working lives.
There are several forms of disability, not all of them visible. But with empathy and understanding, it’s easy to ensure that everyone feels included, respected and valued at work.
Deafness is one of the less visible disabilities, but it can have a profound impact on some people’s ability to progress at work.
There are 70m registered Deaf people in the UK, 18 million people experience Deafness or significant hearing loss in the UK, with 87K Deaf people who use British Sign Language (BSL) as their primary language and there are over 150,000 BSL users. Our new deputy prime minister is a true advocate for the use of BSL, and there are promises for it to be taught as a GCSE in schools by 2025, so that everyone has at least a rudimentary understanding of it and can communicate more easily.
I’m passionate about communication being open to everyone at work – it’s such a basic element of wellbeing, to feel included. But being Deaf can of course cause communication issues, leading to many employers needing to improve access to key information and conversations at work. Only 37% of people who report BSL as their main language are working, in comparison to 77% of people who are not disabled under the Equality Act.
Being empathic and proactive about this is vitally important. It’s not just a human decision, but a business one. There are important laws, like the UK Equality Act 2010 and the British Sign Language Act 2022, that make sure Deaf individuals are protected from discrimination at work. These laws also require companies to make reasonable adjustments so that everyone, regardless of disability, can access the workplace easily.
We live in a fast-paced world and with hybrid working, there are even more communication elements to consider, but there are some simple actions that business leaders can take to ensure everyone feels valued and sees that work is accessible for everyone.
Research
First of all, research is needed. There are organisations such as Action Deafness and the Royal Association for Deaf people, they provide free advice and information, from helpful apps to social and environmental tips and training and awareness courses. Learning and understanding another person’s perspective is the first step towards equality.
Culture
This comes from the top. In all training, company events and internal comms, the culture needs to be one of inclusion. Creating a DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) committee can help with this: they can provide support and advice where needed and ensure everyone has a voice and can share concerns. Training days, ambassadors and guest speakers are all actions to be considered as part of this.
Tech
There is so much technology available to support inclusion for deaf people – but the key is to understand which works best in which environment. Tools like video calls, live transcription, and other assistive technologies are becoming more common. These tools are breaking down barriers and making work more accessible for everyone.
It’s vital that the right tech is used, however. If digital platforms are not made with inclusivity in mind, it could be difficult for some people to access information. Ensure you work with companies and suppliers that consider disabilities and Deaf colleagues from the outset.
Consider meetings and presentations
Did you know that BSL users struggle with standard text? Providing subtitles might not always be the best approach. A digital signer or real person BSL translator often works best, particularly in large scale events such as conferences or musical performances (as we are increasingly seeing, which is great). Not having proper captioning or translating solutions in presentations can create problems for Deaf employees and colleagues. Consistent and accurate solutions are essential for them to understand and engage with information.
BSL and lipreading
Consider incentives to encourage your team to use BSL. Provide training in the basic words and phrases to ensure they can join in. A noisy office with people shouting over loud music or other noise is a sure-fire way to alienate a Deaf person – and probably some neurodivergent colleagues as well. Deaf colleagues will use BSL and lipreading to follow wording they cannot hear, so consideration and clarity are needed.
Ask questions
Honesty is at the heart of all good communication, so business leaders who ask questions in a courteous, constructive way are taking the best approach. This will mean Deaf employees will know that they are being valued. New tools and approaches are constantly being introduced, so making the effort to ask about these and keeping up to date shows that their needs are considered.
At the end of the day, a workplace where everyone is included means creating an environment that provides equal opportunities, promotes inclusion, boosts productivity and encourages and enables a truly diverse workforce.
It shows a genuine commitment to take care of all employees’ happiness and job satisfaction, so taking simple steps like this could actually have a massive impact.
Sally Chalk
Sally Chalk is the CEO and Co-Founder of Signapse, a pioneering start-up that seamlessly integrates AI with Sign Language. With extensive experience across the public, private, and third sectors, both nationally and internationally, Sally brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to her role. Her strong connections with the Deaf Community and affiliations with prestigious institutions such as the Universities of Cambridge, Cranfield, and Surrey underscore her dedication to inclusive innovation. Sally takes great pride in Signapse's passionate team, their unwavering commitment to those they serve, and the significant impact they achieve.