It’s no secret that untreated hearing loss can lead to a decreased quality of life. However, untreated hearing loss can also negatively impact job performance and potential earnings.

Untreated hearing loss can limit a person’s ability to communicate with colleagues effectively; in person, on the phone or in meetings. With Australians now retiring later than ever, hearing loss in the workplace will become more common in the coming decades.

A 2013 study by the Better Hearing Institute in the United States discovered that leaving hearing loss untreated can have a significant financial impact with people potentially losing as much as $30,000 USD annually.

Fortunately, hearing loss is manageable and hearing aids can positively impact job performance.  In fact in the above study researchers found that people with severe hearing loss using hearing aids were twice as likely to be employed as those who did not use them.  In addition, the study found that the use of hearing aids reduced the risk of income loss significantly; by up to 100% for people with mild hearing loss, and from 65 to 77% for people with moderate to severe loss.