6 steps to employing a Deaf person

We have the privilege to be speaking to deaf people who are at work and those looking for work every day so we know the talent that is out there in the deaf community but we are aware that not every employer has this experience. There are almost 32 million people in work in the UK and 3.7 million deaf people, we’d love to see all those looking for work being given the opportunity to interview for their dream job. So we’ve worked on a simple 6-step guide for employers looking to diversify their team and employ a deaf person. There will be many reasons employers might open their recruitment to deaf people, from the company looking for skilled staff in a variety of trades to the company looking for a more diverse workforce.

There are so many reasons companies are looking to make their workforces more diverse, they may have had a great experience in other areas and have really seen the benefits first hand or this may be their first move.

Our 6 steps to employing a deaf person give any employer the confidence to start the process knowing they will have support every step of the way. The government Access to Work grants can be time-consuming to complete and searching for in-work support isn’t something most companies have the time or resources to do so and that’s where we come in to take all that hassle away. We can also put employers in touch with other employers who are further down the road to ask about the many benefits of a diverse workforce.

One of the surprises many of our clients find when engaging with us is there are no fees or engagement charges that are common with employment agencies and job sites. Currently, there are almost 1.5 million jobs being advertised in the UK and with unemployment at 3.6% meaning our job market is still quite tight, retention rates and feedback on taking on a deaf person are excellent and we strive to make it as simple as possible for both parties.

6 steps to employing a Deaf person

1. Contact Deaf Umbrella — Call us, email us, contact us through social media.
2. Deaf Umbrella will be able to provide a full list of potential candidates and skill sets, that hopefully match your needs.
3. If and only if someone fits your requirements, Deaf Umbrella will arrange an interview (Deaf Umbrella will support you throughout the process).
4. If you choose to offer a deaf person a role, Deaf Umbrella will liaise with the government funding agency for support and funding in the workplace.
5. How do I explain to existing team members we have a deaf person joining the team? Deaf Umbrella will supply deaf awareness training before or after the person starts allowing everyone to understand how to communicate with the new starter.
6. If there are any issues months or years later what do I do? Deaf Umbrella is always with you to support you with training, supervision, appraisals, away days, and the like. We are there as long as you want us to be.