The interpreter has been booked, the deaf employee is in the room, and the meeting is about to start. Then the problems begin. The manager turns to the interpreter and says “can you ask her what she thinks?”. Slides change faster than anyone can follow. Three people speak at once. A two-hour session runs without a break, and the interpreter’s accuracy quietly falls away.
None of this is anyone’s fault. Most teams have never been shown how to work with a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter, and booking one is only the first step. Much of the value of the booking is decided by how the team behaves once the interpreter is in the room. This guide looks at that practical side, and at how a hearing loss workplace assessment can help an employer decide what the right support looks like.
What an interpreter does, and what they do not
A BSL/English interpreter conveys meaning between two languages. BSL has its own grammar, so the interpreter is not signing a word for every word spoken. Interpreter training takes years, which is a reason to treat the role with the same respect as any other profession.
Two practical consequences follow. There is always a delay between what is said and what is signed, because the interpreter has to take in the meaning before rendering it. And the interpreter is there for communication, not to take part in the discussion.
Booking early and briefing properly
Demand for qualified interpreters is high. The University of Leeds advises at least three to four weeks’ notice, and the University of Edinburgh advises booking as soon as a request is received, even if the date is some way off. For recurring needs such as weekly team meetings or supervision, agreeing regular bookings in advance is far less stressful than rebooking each time.
The interpreter needs the date, start time, location and type of setting (an interview, a disciplinary meeting, a training day), plus the latest realistic finish time.
Briefing matters as much as booking. Bid Services notes that interpreters ask for preparation materials in advance, such as the agenda, slides, previous minutes, background information and a list of attendees with their job roles. They use these to read ahead and check unfamiliar terms, which should mean fewer interruptions for clarification. One guide to online events suggests sending presentations and worksheets a week ahead and flagging any breakout sessions. Where material is confidential, handling can be agreed with the interpreter beforehand.
Pace, turn-taking and who to look at
Speak at a natural pace. Interpreters say they will not sign at the speed of the speaker and will say so if the speaker needs to slow down, and Sense advises asking the interpreter to flag this. A council interview guide cautions against speaking extremely slowly or over-pronouncing words.
Look at and speak to the deaf employee, not the interpreter. Phrases such as “can you tell her” or “ask him whether” pull the interpreter into the conversation and weaken the direct contact the arrangement exists to protect. Bid Services and Deaf Action give the same advice.
Turn-taking is where many meetings fail. If several people speak at once, the interpreter must choose and the deaf employee loses the thread. Agreeing a simple rule at the start helps: one person speaks at a time, and the chair indicates who is next. Council guidance for interview panels suggests gesturing towards the next speaker so the candidate knows who is asking. Slides need a pause as well. One accessible-events guide recommends at least 15 seconds for participants to read a slide before the speaker begins.
Seating, lighting and the room
The deaf employee needs a clear view of both the interpreter and the speaker, as Deaf Action points out. The Derbyshire interview guide suggests placing the interpreter next to the interviewer so the candidate can see both, bringing in an extra chair if the interpreter prefers to sit, and checking the layout with the candidate or communication professional. It also suggests asking the candidate and interpreter whether the lighting is acceptable, noting that a dimly lit room makes signing harder to follow. These are small checks, best done before people sit down.
Meetings, interviews and long sessions
For interviews, Access to Work can help with communication support, and employers should ask the candidate what support they will need before the day. The Derbyshire guide suggests about 15 minutes with the panel, candidate and interpreter before the interview so everyone is comfortable with the arrangement.
For long sessions, advice on when to book a pair varies. The University of Edinburgh recommends at least two interpreters for assignments longer than 30 minutes. Sense recommends two for meetings over an hour, swapping every 15 to 20 minutes. The University of Leeds says an event of more than two hours may need more than one. None of these is a legal rule, and the differences probably reflect context. A sensible approach is to ask the agency or interpreter, and to lean towards a pair when the content is dense, technical or emotionally heavy.
If only one interpreter is booked, breaks must be real. Interpreters themselves ask for a break of five to ten minutes when needed, and say many feel they are a burden if they have to request one. Leeds adds that the interpreter should not be expected to work through breaks unless this has been agreed. Informal time such as lunch and networking is where inclusion is often lost.
Remote interpreting
A guide to online events, written for BSL-interpreted sessions in the arts sector, suggests asking for cameras to be off except for the speaker and the interpreter, giving the interpreter the ability to pin speakers, allowing time for participants to pin the interpreter before the session starts, allowing time to re-pin after breakout rooms, and testing the set-up beforehand. It is not an employment authority, but the logic matches the in-person advice: the employee must be able to see the interpreter clearly and continuously.
No-cost and low-cost workplace adjustments
| Area | Suggested adjustment | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Booking | Book as soon as the date is known, and arrange regular bookings for recurring meetings | Demand is high and short-notice availability is limited |
| Briefing | Send agenda, slides, minutes and attendee list ahead of time | Lets the interpreter prepare terminology and cuts clarification pauses |
| Addressing | Speak and look directly at the deaf employee | Keeps the conversation between colleagues |
| Turn-taking | One speaker at a time, chair indicates the next speaker | The interpreter can only convey one voice at once |
| Slides | Pause after a new slide before speaking | The employee cannot watch the interpreter and read the slide at once |
| Room | Clear sightline to speaker and interpreter, checked lighting | Signing is harder to follow in poor light or from a poor position |
| Length | Plan breaks, and ask about a pair for long or dense sessions | Interpreting is tiring and quality can fall |
| Online | Cameras off except speaker and interpreter, time to pin | Keeps the interpreter continuously visible |
Why a signing colleague is not the answer
It is tempting to ask a colleague who has learned some BSL to step in. Conversational BSL is not the same as interpreting skill. A colleague also has their own job and their own interest in the outcome, and cannot take part in the meeting and interpret it at the same time. Professional interpreting codes expect impartiality and confidentiality, which are hard to meet for someone who is also a team member. No UK employment-specific rule on this was found, so the point rests on professional practice rather than a statutory requirement.
On registration, the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) describes itself as a regulator of language service professionals. It says registrants have completed an approved course, follow a code of conduct, hold a standard DBS check and carry professional indemnity insurance. Its Registers are voluntary, and statutory regulation is described as a long-term aim. The University of Edinburgh suggests checking a registration badge on arrival, and employers booking through an agency can ask what registration it requires.
What this means for occupational health, HR and case managers
For referrers, the key points are practical. Confirm that a booking and a briefing are in place before a meeting, not after. Name one point of contact for the interpreter. Record seating and lighting preferences so they do not have to be renegotiated each time. Where a deaf employee uses an interpreter for part of the week, a specialist assessment can establish which situations need an interpreter, which can be supported in other ways, and which routine meetings could be restructured. Visualise assessments are specialist and practical, and sit alongside occupational health and audiology, not in place of them.
Hints and tips for the deaf employee
Tell the team in advance which meetings need an interpreter, and ask for the agenda early so it can be passed on.
Agree a signal for when the pace is too fast or a speaker needs to pause.
Check seating and lighting before the meeting starts, not during it.
Raise breaks early if a session is running longer than planned.
Give feedback on what did and did not work to whoever arranges the booking, so the next one improves.
Legal rights and support
Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is disabled where they have an impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Schedule 1 treats an impairment as having a substantial effect where measures such as aids are controlling it, which can be relevant to hearing aids. Where the definition is met, section 20 requires an employer to take reasonable steps to provide an auxiliary aid where the person would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage, and auxiliary aids include auxiliary services. Whether the definition is met, and whether an interpreter is a reasonable adjustment, depends on the circumstances. This article is general information rather than legal advice.
According to GOV.UK, Access to Work can pay for support workers such as a BSL interpreter, and the grant does not need to be repaid. The National Deaf Children’s Society adds that it can also cover video relay service support, lipspeakers and notetakers, and that payment can go directly to the support provider or be claimed back after the employee or employer pays. Where an employer or the NHS pays part of a cost, that amount is taken off what is repaid. Access to Work does not replace the employer’s duty to make reasonable adjustments. It does not apply in Northern Ireland, where a different system operates. Support at job interviews uses a separate form.
Summary
Working well with a BSL interpreter comes down to habits: book early, brief properly, speak to the person and not the interpreter, one voice at a time, and plan the room and the breaks. Funding through Access to Work and the employer’s duty under the Equality Act sit alongside this. A short conversation before the first meeting usually prevents most of the problems.
Watch the short film
A short film that follows a new Deaf colleague whose first language is BSL, and the small changes that made the team meeting work for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources differ in wording. The University of Leeds advises at least three to four weeks, and the University of Edinburgh advises booking as soon as a request arrives. Short-notice availability is limited, so earlier is better.
Not always, though guidance varies. Edinburgh recommends two for assignments over 30 minutes, Sense for meetings over an hour, and Leeds suggests more than one may be needed beyond two hours. If only one is booked, regular breaks are needed.
It is not advised. Interpreting is a distinct professional skill, and a colleague has their own role and interests. This rests on professional practice rather than a statutory rule.
That depends on the circumstances. Access to Work can fund BSL interpreters for eligible people in England, Scotland and Wales, and an employer's reasonable adjustments duty may also apply.
If you or someone in your team is deaf or has hearing loss and would like expert, tailored support to stay productive and comfortable at work, visit https://visualisetrainingandconsultancy.com/workplace-assessments/hearing-loss-workplace-assessment/ to arrange a hearing loss workplace assessment.
Sources
Sense, Top tips for communicating with someone using a sign language interpreter: https://www.sense.org.uk/?p=49248
Bid Services, Working with British Sign Language Interpreters: https://www.bid.org.uk/resources/working-with-british-sign-language-interpreters/
University of Edinburgh, Booking British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreters: https://www.ed.ac.uk/node/116321
University of Leeds, Booking a sign language interpreter: https://equality.leeds.ac.uk/support-and-resources/disability-2/deaf-awareness/support-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-colleagues/booking-a-sign-language-interpreter/
Deaf Action, Top tips for working with BSL/English interpreters: https://deafaction.org/?p=36500
Derbyshire County Council, Deaf interviews: https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/site-elements/documents/pdf/working-for-us/jobs/deaf-interviews.pdf
64 Million Artists, Organising online accessible events with BSL Interpreters (2025): https://64millionartists.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Organising-online-accessible-events-with-BSL-Interpreters.pdf
NRCPD, About us: https://nrcpd.org.uk/about-us
NRCPD, Statutory regulation: https://www.nrcpd.org.uk/statutory-regulation
GOV.UK, Access to Work: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
GOV.UK, Access to Work eligibility: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/eligibility
National Deaf Children’s Society, Access to Work: https://www.ndcs.org.uk/information-and-support/money-and-benefits/financial-support/access-to-work
legislation.gov.uk, Equality Act 2010 section 20: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20
legislation.gov.uk, Equality Act 2010 Schedule 1 Part 1: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/schedule/1/part/1