The Pointe-du-Lac IGA, in Mauricie, showed open-mindedness by hiring two employees from the deaf community last October, an integration that is happening slowly but surely with their colleagues and customers.
“People paid attention. We have a good relationship with the employees too. People learn certain signs and they want to learn too, so I showed them a few words in LSQ (Quebec sign language)”, explained Illial Chornyi, one of the two deaf employees through the interpreter and volunteer. , Lyne Authier.
The two recruits still manage to make themselves understood other than with words, even if it takes a little longer.
The owner of the place was aware of the challenge when he hired them.
“What scares entrepreneurs, perhaps, is that there is a thin line between good service and bad service. The customer when she spoke to Yuri, he took 30 seconds to get a sheet and a pencil from the back. But you know, maybe a customer would have said, ”uh… so he looks stupid. What kind of service is that?” and walk away,” said owner Raynald Giguère.
Mr. Giguère has been used for several years to offer job opportunities to people who live with a disability or who need to better integrate into society.
“Sometimes there are clients who don’t know about deafness, but you have to be patient, because sometimes you have to write things down. The client must write what he wants. Afterwards, I will do things, ”said the other deaf employee of the IGA, Yuri Daigle.
For Jérôme Blanchette, a former employee of the IGA des Chenaux, it is a source of pride to see people from his community succeed.
He also shot a video to teach a few words in sign language to customers at the grocery store and anyone who wants to learn it.
“Today, we need more employees. We need the deaf, hard of hearing, oralists, etc. They too want to work to live! I find it really wow to see that kind employers support the deaf community,” added Jérôme, accompanied by his sister as an interpreter.
“It’s always encouraging to see employers who are unfamiliar with the deaf culture who have this openness,” mentioned the co-founder of Vibrasigne and Jérôme’s sister, Chloé Blanchette.
“Is it really us who integrated them or are they the ones who make us move forward?”, let out the owner of the Pointe-du-Lac IGA.