TruHearing Survey Reveals That Few Employers Offer Hearing Benefits, Despite High Demand Among Employees
According to a recent survey from TruHearing, the market leader in hearing benefits, almost all of the general population of employees surveyed (94%) agree that it is at least somewhat important for employers to offer hearing benefits as part of their overall employee benefits package, and more than half (53%) feel it is important or very important.
As health and wellbeing are more widely prioritized, many companies have instituted programs and opportunities to benefit employees’ overall wellness, most of which fail to address hearing loss. Employees surveyed were more likely to consider hearing benefits a “health benefit” than offerings like wellness programs and employee assistance programs, yet hearing benefits are not nearly as common.
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Despite 42% of the general population of employees reporting hearing loss, only a quarter of employees are offered hearing aid coverage by their employer. Respondents reported that hearing benefits are offered at a much lower rate (25%) than vision (66%) and dental (71%) benefits, and less often than wellness programs (43%) and employee assistance programs (46%).
“So many companies are completely unaware of the high number of people dealing with hearing loss, even within their own office,” said Tommy Macdonald, CEO, TruHearing. “It’s become quite clear that it isn’t just retirees that are affected. In addition to older employees, hearing benefits are clearly desired by younger employees too, who are even more likely to be seeking affordable treatment options.”
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The absence of hearing benefits not only directly impacts employees who live with hearing loss and their work productivity, but also affects how employees view their company’s overall commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I). According to the TruHearing survey, 86% of employees with hearing loss agreed that a company offering hearing benefits would positively impact their perception surrounding their employer’s commitment to DEI.
“Offering hearing benefits to employees helps increase overall employee wellness and foster a more inclusive environment for the whole company,” said Macdonald. “I hope these eye-opening survey findings show employers there is a clear demand for hearing benefits, and that implementing them can be valuable to both companies and their employees.”
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