The Business Paradigm of Organizational Socio-Communicational Equity Between People with Hearing Loss and Hearing People

Abstract

Despite significant advances in organizational research, there is a notable gap in the study of deafness in the work context in Portugal. Little attention has been paid to the necessary adaptations in work environments to accommodate people with hearing loss, as well as to the assessment of their work capabilities in various roles. In this study, we sought to investigate socio-communicational equity between people with hearing loss and listeners, with the aim of contributing to the development of the state of the art on the presence of people with hearing loss in the workforce in Portugal. The empirical investigation is qualitative, having been developed by observing a working day lived by two people with hearing loss, in two different environments, office and warehouse. After the observation, a questionnaire was administered to the participants to obtain more information. Visits were also made to the company's facilities and three internal communication channels were analyzed. The results highlight the perception of socio-communicational equity on the part of the participants, but also point to the need for adjustments in work spaces, meeting rooms, videos and awareness and training actions. It also appears that the company must consider the different communicative needs of its internal audience so that it can adapt its communication to them, so that there is communication equity. Furthermore, there is a need to develop more studies on the presence and equity of people with hearing loss in the job market in Portugal.