According to eDeaf, the leading provider of (Deaf) Skills Development training in South Africa, the unfortunate stereotype still exists that deaf people are less capable than hearing employees in the work environment. The truth is, that deaf candidates can do anything, except here.
In their continual efforts to break this stereotype and empower Deaf candidates, eDeaf have outlined and summarised some of the many benefits of employing a deaf candidate.
Loyal & Hard Working
The unemployment rate within the Deaf community is roughly 80%. This means that Deaf employees are generally more reliable and hard working as they understand how difficult it is to find work opportunities.
Problem Solving
People who are Deaf, have spent their whole lives bridging communication and cultural gaps in everyday situations. From a business perspective, this translates into an employee with good problem solving and interpersonal skills at your disposal.
Increased Productivity
Deaf people are not easily distracted by noise or conversation and can often be more productive because of this. The Deaf use Sign Language to communicate, which increases hand-eye coordination and hand strength. Therefore, often the Deaf can be faster and more accurate than their hearing co-workers at certain tasks.
Situational Awareness
Deaf people are very aware of their environment. Not being able to hear has not only heightened some of their other senses, but also made them more alert and aware of their surroundings. This can be a major benefit in certain jobs.
Noisy Environments
Deaf employees are far more capable and comfortable working in noisy environments. Ear protection is often not required.
B-BBEE Compliant
The employment of disabled staff will count towards your B-BBEE scorecard under management control as well as certain associated Skills Development Spend.
Reduced Shrinkage
The Deaf communicate through Sign Language, making it far more difficult for syndicates and under-handed persons to convince Deaf employees to assist with or take part in theft.
Established in 2007, eDeaf is a Deaf owned, B-BBEE Level 2 company, and a leading provider of (Deaf) Skills Development training in South Africa. Through their partnered solutions approach, they provide a holistic, end-to-end service, to both the employer and the Deaf learner/employee in terms of training, recruitment, ongoing support services, as well as interpreter services. They operate nationally with state-of-the-art training facilities in Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town, Durban, and Mthatha. They are able to offer the ideal learning environment for Deaf individuals who learn in their home language South African Sign Language (SASL) through experienced and qualified Deaf facilitators. eDeaf is proud to have nearly 100 employees, the majority of which are Deaf.
eDeaf strives to improve the social and economic lives of the Deaf community, through a variety of empowerment and skills development programmes. By adding value, not only to the individuals they train, they create employable Deaf individuals who are able to contribute to the economy, reducing reliance on social grants and thereby boosting the overall economy.
For more information go to www.edeaf.co.za
