What it’s like to work as a deaf designer in a digital agency
I’m a Deaf designer and I’ve been working in Evermade since 2015. Before Evermade, I worked in digital agencies in France. Not surprisingly, the most challenging thing at work is communication. However, there are a lot of things we can all do to make work life easier for the Deaf and those with hearing impairments.
How I get along with my co-workers and clients
Slack is a great tool for communication, as it allows me to see everything that others are talking about. We share all our work-related ideas and information on Slack, and we also talk a lot about everyday life.
I need a sign language interpreter when we have meetings, kick-offs, or workshops. A sign language interpreter is not an assistant, (s)he is a translator who translates Finnish and English to Finnish sign language. When no interpreter is available, I need to find other solutions: I can use my phone, write on my laptop’s notepad, use pen and paper, or enable closed captions in Google Meet and other programs. However, I prefer using interpreters as it makes communication much easier and more effortless and allows me to properly join the conversation. Overall, my deafness does not impact my communication with our clients or my co-workers as much as you might think.
How I make myself comfortable at work
Some of you might not know that sign language (viittomakieli) is an official language and that it’s different in every country just like spoken languages. I always encourage people to learn the basics of sign language so they can communicate with me. It’s not as hard as many people think! During my time at Evermade, I’ve taught sign language to my colleagues a couple of times. It’s heartwarming that a lot of my workmates have been motivated to learn some signs, and to me, it’s always fun to see people learn!
Eye contact is very important to Deaf people, as we cannot hear when someone is coming to us or leaving or when there’s something happening. We need to communicate visually with others, over our desks. That is why I have my desk positioned in a way that I can see around myself well. People at Evermade have always been really understanding of what I need, which has made my work life a lot smoother.
Deaf people also appreciate it when you don’t forget to let them know you are leaving. Otherwise, they might end up finding themselves alone at the office, focusing on their work. With me, you just have to wave your hand, tap my desk, turn off/on the lights, or throw something at me (a soft object would be best!) to get my attention. 😉 I’ve noticed that a lot of people approach deaf people with great caution to not spook them — but trust me, we are used to people appearing from behind our back, and we don’t flinch very easily. So, don’t be afraid to tap my shoulder if something is going on or if you simply want to say hi!
Just to let you know
It’s difficult to talk through a window, underwater, in a loud nightclub, or when someone is too far from us. But the beauty of sign language is that all of these situations become easy to communicate in. Don’t think about shouting or talking louder to a deaf person, it doesn’t make any difference – learn some signs instead.
Did you know that some Deaf people are expert lip readers? So, hearing folks, watch out — your lips might tell more than you think! 😎
Don’t be afraid to hire a Deaf worker – we might not hear, but we get things done. ✌️
Learn Finnish sign language (viittomakieli):
