Consider these strategies to help create mutually beneficial work relationships between deaf and hearing employees.
Pre-Employment- Ensure upper-level management support.
- Clarify job requirements and job descriptions.
- Provide organizational literature for review before the interview.
- Provide a written itinerary if more than one person is interviewing.
- Inform your receptionist or secretary that you are expecting a deaf applicant.
- Prepare co-workers by reviewing communication strategies.
- Discuss with managers and supervisors the best ways to facilitate integration.
- Ask deaf employees about their communication preferences (sign or voicing).
- Retain an interpreter, if necessary.
- Provide name tags, including job titles, for everyone.
- Hire an interpreter for the first day, if necessary.
- Provide an organizational chart.
- Give deaf or hard-of-hearing employees information to read before the benefits meeting.
- Use captioned films or videotapes, if available, that explain benefits, or refer new hires to your company's appropriate web page.
- Ask the person how to get his or her attention (tapping shoulder, waving).
- Use visual signaling equipment for incoming calls.
- Use hands-on demonstrations to assist in training.
- Allow extra time for communication when training.
- Provide an outline of the training session.
- Assign a mentor to work directly with deaf or hard-of-hearing employees during the training period.
- Share informal information.
- Be sure to include deaf or hard-of-hearing employees in conversations, work break activities and social events.
- Use a buddy system to alert deaf or hard-of-hearing employees to emergency situations.
- Install flashing lights to work in conjunction with auditory alarms.
- Review safety procedures, including exits and alarms.
- Use texting, e-mail or pager to contact deaf or hard-of-hearing employees in the event of an emergency.
- Notify security if deaf or hard-of-hearing employees are alone in work areas.
