We’re living in a digital age, and video calls are on the rise in the workplace. If you wear hearing aids, the following steps can help make sure your virtual meetings are a success.
Be Open About Your Hearing Loss
Let people you’re meeting with know you have hearing loss. It’s an important step for open communication, and is also gives you the chance to share tips for how to connect more effectively with you during video calls.
Technology
Take the following steps with your technology to ensure the best experience possible during virtual meetings.
- Bluetooth®: Most hearing aids have Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to stream calls directly from your laptop or tablet into your hearing aids. If your hearing aid does not have Bluetooth functionality, there are devices that will allow you to connect your hearing aids to your computer for direct streaming.
- Internet Connection: Lag because of a slow connectivity can make it difficult to understand what others on the call are saying.
- Live Captions: Many video conferencing programs offer live captioning during video calls, so you can read what’s being said in real-time. If this is not an option on your platform, consider using speech-to-text apps, which use automatic speech recognition to transcribe videos.
Minimize Background Noise
Reduce background noise in your own environment so you can focus on the conversation. You can also ask your coworkers to mute themselves when not speaking if they are in noisy environments.
Make an Appointment with an Audiologist
It’s helpful to see your audiologist for regular clean and check appointments. Our team at M.K. Larson Audiology will make sure all of your hearing technology is working properly so you can easily connect with colleagues virtually or during in-person gatherings.
