We caught up with Diane – an employee at RS Group, one of our inclusive employers – to learn about her experience of working there with a disability.
Hi Diane, how long have you been with RS?
Hi, I’m Di, and I am the Production Manager in the Group Communications team. I have been with RS for 28 years so far.
Can you tell us a little bit more about your disability and lived experience?
So, I only have 10% hearing in my right ear, which makes me hard of hearing. This was diagnosed just over seven years ago.
I had been experiencing ringing in my right ear for a while and was struggling to have conversations both at work and at home. I had assumed that I just had an ear infection, but the longer it lasted, the more I knew that something more serious was wrong.
My GP referred me to a specialist and thanks to the RS private medical insurance, I was able to see a specialist and have a number of tests done. They confirmed that I was hard of hearing and that I was required to use a hearing aid.
Have you felt comfortable raising your disability at work?
Initially, I was quite reluctant to come in and tell people, but that was my own insecurity. The first person at work I told was my manager, who was absolutely amazing. It made me realise that it didn’t change anything. I was still me and people have invisible disabilities, once you’re classed with a disability, you realise more and more how many people are in the same situation as you.
What has your experience been with approaching the business about any support you need to ensure that you’re set up for success within your role?
The support that I have received has been second to none. My job involves phone calls, team meetings, and constantly speaking to people using my laptop. The business bought me a speaker, which means that I no longer wear a headset. This makes it so much easier and clearer for me. The other part of being hard of hearing is that I tend to lip read quite often, so having the speaker without headsets makes it easier for me to lip read and to see other people.
My team has also been incredible in helping me to work at my best when I’m in the office. When we’re in meetings or presentations, they always save me a space at the front so that I am closer to the presenter and able to hear them better. They also support me by ensuring that the presenter is always on my left side. Everybody has been brilliant and so understanding.
RS is a very busy workplace and certain areas, like the restaurant in Corby, make it very difficult to hear. I used to feel self-conscious about asking people to repeat themselves, but I’m proud to say that I am now very comfortable asking people to repeat themselves if I struggle to hear them. It’s never a problem, people absolutely understand. I am who I am. People have invisible disabilities.
How could RS improve their support for people in a similar situation?
Seven years ago, when I was diagnosed, there were gaps in how I could be supported by the business.
Although they funded and helped to buy the equipment I needed to work, I was quite paranoid about the big, bulky hearing aids that you get through the NHS, so wanted a smaller and more discrete one. Sadly, there was no support or funding available in our cash plans or medical insurance through RS, so I had to find the money to buy it myself.
I did speak to our Head of Reward however and requested that next time we reviewed our medical provider it would be something beneficial to take into account for anybody with hearing difficulties.
Thankfully, my voice was heard and seven years later I’m really pleased to say that RS now offers hearing aids as part of our Health Cash Plan.
Would you recommend RS as a disability-positive employer on the back of your experience?
I would 100% recommend RS. They’ve helped me to realise that I am me. My disability doesn’t define who I am. It doesn’t affect my ability to do my job.
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