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Workplace wellness strategies for hearing health

ByHearology Publishing | Date: Wed May 14 2025

six employees in an office all working on a task being productive

Taking a holistic approach to auditory wellbeing in the workplace improves health, productivity and morale

Hearing harm is the world’s hidden health crisis. It is not just older folk or construction workers who are affected, we are all at risk – and, increasingly, employers will have to deal with the impacts of auditory challenges on their staff. And also on their profits.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 1.5 billion people worldwide live with hearing loss – about 20% of the global population. But it’s the future projections that are most alarming: by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are forecast to have at least mild hearing loss. This is partly down to population growth and the ageing of the global population – the number of over-60s worldwide is projected to double by 2050. However, the noisy assault of modern life on our ears is also a big driver.

Our use of headphones and earbuds has exploded compared to previous generations – yet our ears haven’t changed at all. Where once loud noise was an occasional hazard, today it is a constant feature of daily life, both at work and at home. If you cup your hand to your ear and listen intently, you can hear the ticking of a hearing loss time bomb.

So why should employers care? And what can they do about it?


The real cost of hearing loss

Access to clear communication is obviously an important facilitator of meaningful connection and understanding in the workplace. But the impact goes much deeper. Unaddressed hearing loss leads to isolation, which causes stress and anxiety - and eventually contributes to cognitive decline. Studies have shown that hearing loss accelerates age-related brain atrophy and it is now recognised as a major risk factor for dementia.

For employers, this translates into decreased productivity, higher absenteeism, lower morale and greater healthcare costs. Employees struggling with hearing difficulties are more likely to disengage, make errors and suffer from fatigue.

And don’t expect employees to tell you if they’re struggling. The stigma around hearing loss remains enormous. Many people either don’t realise they have a problem – because hearing loss creeps up slowly – or they deny it when it is pointed out.


Not just an issue for older staff

The problem doesn’t only affect older employees. Many younger people in the workforce have never had a proper hearing test. If they have, it’s usually a brief check by a GP rather than a full assessment by a hearing specialist.

If it conforms to the national average, about 15% of any workforce, regardless of age, is suffering with tinnitus – and with the anxiety, distraction and stress that is associated with this condition. Others may be struggling with blocked ears from untreated ear wax, impacting their ability to hear and concentrate. And most will have no idea that hearing problems could be a factor in their performance or wellbeing.

A specialised hearing test can detect issues that a routine GP check might miss. Most of these issues can be managed by qualified hearing professionals, who can also refer on to an ENT specialist if needed.

An investment in hearing health will reduce the likelihood of your employees developing serious hearing issues later on, whilst also removing any immediate barriers to productivity and wellbeing.


Why hearing care is so often overlooked

Most people are astonishingly casual about their hearing health. We’re diligent about our eyes, teeth, cholesterol levels, blood pressure – and, indeed, so many other aspects of our health nowadays. Yet we rarely consider our ears.

Laurence Coen, co-founder of Hearology®, a CQC-registered hearing and ear care specialist with clinics in the City of London, explains: “There is still an unjustified and disproportionate stigma around hearing loss, which is one of the main reasons why only 10% of people with hearing loss do anything about it. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t dream of not taking corrective action if your eyesight is failing.”

An important part of changing this culture is for employers to recognise hearing health as integral to staff wellbeing, not an optional extra.


The workplace environment

Addressing individual hearing health is only half the story. A holistic approach is required. As workplaces have moved towards open-plan offices and hot-desking, noise levels have soared.

A growing body of research shows the impact of poor acoustics on productivity. The World Green Building Council reports that background noise can cause up to a 66% drop in output. A UK study similarly found that three in ten employees regularly lose concentration due to noise in the workplace.

Persistent noise doesn’t just make work harder; over time, it increases stress, reduces collaboration and leaves employees feeling isolated from their colleagues.


Practical steps employers can take

So what can organisations do?

Coen advocates a two-pronged approach: addressing personal hearing health and optimising workplace acoustic design. 

First, an employer can offer its staff hearing assessments. “From a hearing health perspective, there’s a lot that you can usefully do on site,” explains Coen. “It’s possible, for example, to carry out hearing screenings and high-level ear health checks using portable equipment. It’s also possible to perform basic ear wax removal procedures on site.

However, for the more complex cases, it would be necessary to attend a specialised and appropriately regulated clinic. The important thing is that the clinician who’s carrying out the on-site screenings is a specialist who knows what to look for.”

However, he is equally clear that companies should be thinking about the environment in which their people work from a noise management perspective. “Ensuring that you have optimal workplace acoustics is a meaningful step that any employer can take,” he says. “A noisy and poorly designed acoustic environment can be just as detrimental to productivity and wellbeing as individual hearing loss.”

Solutions like sound masking systems, which subtly introduce background sound to minimise distractions and enhance speech privacy, are gaining traction. Assistive listening systems further enhance communication clarity.


The next frontier in workplace wellness

This kind of integrated approach is gaining recognition. Certifications like the WELL Building Standard emphasise noise pollution reduction and acoustic comfort enhancement as important aspects of a healthy, safe and inclusive workplace.

Hearology® offers acoustic consultations to help organisations meet these standards, enabling them not only to comply with best practice but also to create workplaces where people can thrive.

The benefits go beyond compliance. Prioritising hearing health shows employees that they are valued, helps to future-proof their wellbeing, and boosts long-term organisational resilience.

Investing in hearing health isn’t just about avoiding problems. It’s about unlocking human potential – at work, and beyond.


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