Untreated hearing loss tied to lower earning potential

Maximizing one’s ability to hear well should be part of any smart career strategy. Individual performance in an organization is found to be directly related to listening ability or perceived listening effectiveness. In fact, listening is one of the top skills employers seek in entry-level employees and in those being promoted. People who both hear and listen well are also more likely to establish positive working relationships with bosses, clients, and colleagues. An alarming new study by the Better Hearing Institute (BHI) reveals a direct correlation between unaddressed hearing loss and earnings. The national survey, entitled “The efficacy of hearing aids in achieving compensation equity in the workplace,” clearly demonstrates that hearing loss has a significant impact on people’s ability to earn a livelihood. The study underscores how critically important it is for workers to treat hearing loss early in order to maximize their job performance and earning potential. According to Sergei Kochkin, PhD, author of the study: “The real tragedy in delaying hearing loss treatment is that when left unaddressed, hearing loss negatively affects individuals and their families for the rest of their lives in the form of lost wages, lost promotions, lost opportunities, lost retirement income, and unrealized dreams. But when people with even mild hearing loss use hearing aids, they improve their job performance, increase their earning potential, enhance their communication skills, improve their professional and interpersonal relationships, stave off depression, and improve their quality of life.”