A recent survey conducted by TruHearing highlights a significant gap between employee recognition of the importance of hearing health and the availability of hearing benefits offered by employers. According to the company’s fifth annual Hearing Loss in the Workplace survey, a substantial majority of employees acknowledge that hearing loss can negatively impact their work performance. Specifically, 87% of respondents indicated that hearing loss would affect their job in some way, with over half asserting that it would have a major or severe effect on their ability to perform tasks. Despite this, hearing benefits are rarely included in employee healthcare packages, with only 13% reporting access to such coverage, compared to much higher rates for dental benefits, offered to 66% of employees.

Employers’ limited provision of hearing healthcare support may reflect a broader underestimation of how crucial hearing health is to workforce productivity and safety. TruHearing’s CEO Trent Sterling emphasised the “silent threat” posed by unaddressed hearing issues, which can disrupt communication and collaboration in the workplace. The survey found that nearly all employees, including those without hearing difficulties, believe hearing healthcare should be an integral part of employee benefits, yet many employers have yet to respond to this demand.

Additional data from TruHearing’s earlier surveys reinforce this disconnect. One survey revealed that 42% of employees report experiencing hearing loss, but only around a quarter are offered hearing benefits, a figure starkly lower than the 66% and 71% coverage rates for vision and dental benefits respectively. Another study showed growing interest among employees, with 79% recognising the importance of hearing benefits, but only 11% reporting access to them through their employers. This persistent disparity suggests a slow pace of integration of hearing health into workplace benefits despite employee demand.

The lack of hearing benefit provision is not just a missed opportunity to support employee health but may also affect recruitment and retention. TruHearing’s research indicates over a third of working Americans would be more likely to pursue a job offer from an employer providing hearing benefits, while 40% would be more inclined to remain with their current employer if such benefits were available. This signals a growing awareness among workers of hearing healthcare as a factor in their employment decisions.

Experts argue that incorporating hearing benefits could help organisations avoid productivity losses and improve overall employee satisfaction. However, some industry observers caution that while surveys underscore the importance of hearing health, the cost and logistics of implementing comprehensive hearing benefits remain challenging for many employers. Financial constraints, lack of awareness, or perceived complexity in managing hearing care options could be barriers that slow adoption.

Overall, while employee demand for hearing healthcare coverage is high and the potential impact on work performance is evident, employers appear to lag significantly in addressing this issue within workplace benefits schemes. The findings from TruHearing’s surveys call attention to a growing but unmet need, signalling an opportunity for employers to rethink and possibly expand their health benefits portfolio to include hearing care as a standard offering.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

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