Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to understand the current situation of the workplaces for people with hearing disabilities and to find better accommodations for them. Design/methodology/approach- This paper integrates interviews and observations to develop case studies for four special subsidiaries in Japan to gain insights into the accommodations of employees with hearing disabilities and best practice of employers. Findings- By interviewing four companies with proven track records in the employment of deaf people, we were able to verify the importance of sign language and how it can be effectively incorporated into the working environment. Originality/value- This article raises awareness that people with hearing disabilities are powerful workforces in appropriate working environments. Japan is successfully implementing establishing the environment with rational accommodations to employ individuals with disabilities. This success is exemplified by people with hearing disabilities and their employers; and the importance of integrating communication specific to deaf culture like sign language.