The way we work has changed. Decisions get made in hallway conversations, last-minute Zoom calls and Teams chats that escalate into impromptu meetings.
For most employees, that’s just the pace of modern working life. But for Deaf employees without flexible communication support in place, it can mean always being one step behind, not because of their abilities, but because the support model hasn’t kept up with how businesses now operate.
Pre-booking a BSL interpreter three days in advance made sense when work followed a predictable pattern but, increasingly, it doesn’t. On-demand BSL interpreting has emerged in response to that reality.
This blog explores why more businesses are recognising the benefits that on-demand BSL interpreting belongs alongside their existing communication support.
What is on-demand BSL interpreting?
On-demand BSL interpreting connects a Deaf person with a qualified BSL interpreter via video, usually within seconds, on a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. There’s no waiting for a booking confirmation, no availability checks and no scheduling back-and-forth. They open the app or platform, connect, and the interpreter is there.
On-demand BSL interpreting complements pre-booked, face-to-face interpreting. It doesn’t replace it. Complex meetings, lengthy training sessions or sensitive business proceedings will usually still call for an in-person interpreter who can prepare in advance. But for the unplanned, the urgent and the everyday, on-demand interpreting fills a gap that the traditional model was never built to cover.
Sign Solutions’ own InterpretersLive! platform works on that basis. It provides access to qualified, NRCPD-registered interpreters available when you need them, without the lead time.
The problem with relying solely on pre-booked interpreters
If you manage or work alongside Deaf colleagues, you’ll know that not everything at work comes with advance notice. A senior leader drops into the office for an unscheduled catch-up. A project meeting gets pulled forward. An HR conversation needs to happen today, not next Thursday when an interpreter becomes available.
In those moments, the options available to a Deaf employee without on-demand support are limited. They either miss the meeting, rely on a colleague to relay information afterwards or sit through it and try to piece things together from lip-reading and body language. None of those options is acceptable, and all of them have consequences.
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for Deaf employees. An employee who repeatedly misses spontaneous meetings, isn’t included in urgent conversations or must wait days for information their colleagues received immediately could make a valid discrimination claim against your organisation under the Act.
The business case for on-demand BSL interpreting
The business case for flexible, on-demand interpreting goes further than meeting your legal obligations. Â
Deaf employees who have reliable, flexible communication support are far more likely to stay in a role and progress within an organisation.
Those who consistently face barriers, miss conversations, have to ask for information to be repeated and feel like an afterthought in everyday workplace situations are more likely to leave.
Recruiting and onboarding a replacement can cost considerably more than the support would have. And the time spent on workarounds, re-sharing information and decisions that need revisiting because a key person wasn’t included is a hidden cost that can accumulate quietly.
Inclusive organisations also attract stronger candidates from a wider talent pool. Deaf professionals talk to each other, and word travels about which employers take accessibility seriously and which only pay lip service to it.
Where on-demand interpreting is making the biggest difference
Quick, daily conversations between a Deaf employee and their manager are rarely booked a week in advance. Neither are disciplinary or grievance conversations, which often need to happen promptly and with proper support in place for everyone involved.
If a Deaf employee is on a call with a client and needs interpreting support, waiting isn’t an option. The same applies to job interviews. Deaf candidates deserve equal access to the process, and on-demand interpreting can bridge the gap when pre-booked support isn’t available at short notice.
A Deaf employee working from home may have no in-person support available at all. If their team is remote, their manager is in a different location, and their working day involves video calls rather than face-to-face interaction, on-demand BSL interpreting is their primary way to access communication support.
In healthcare or public sector settings, some situations can’t wait for an interpreter to be booked, either. For example, a GP practice that needs to discuss test results, a Deaf patient attending an urgent appointment, or a Deaf tenant trying to communicate with a housing officer. On-demand interpreting means communication support is available when it’s needed, not when it’s convenient.
How Sign Solutions can help
If you’re looking at how to make communication support more flexible for your Deaf employees or service users, we can help you work out what that looks like in practice.
Sign Solutions offers on-demand BSL interpreting through InterpretersLive!, alongside pre-booked face-to-face interpreting, Deaf Awareness Training and Access to Work support. Whether you’re setting up communication support for the first time or looking to fill the gaps in what you already have, our team can advise on the right combination of services for your organisation.
To find out more, call us on 0121 447 9620, email bookings@signsolutions.uk.com or contact us via a BSL video interpreter.
