Service with a silent smile

Hotpot chain one of many outlets increasingly employing those with hearing impairments, Wang Qian and Shi Baoyin report in Zhengzhou.

From prep cook to kitchen manager, 31-year-old Deng Wei has a long-term goal for a career that one day will help him support his family. Feeling confident and optimistic, the hearing-impaired man earns a monthly income of around 4,000 yuan ($550.1), and enjoys the quiet environment at work where about half of the 10 staff have similar impairments.

Deng works in Zhengzhou, Henan province, at a branch of a self-service hotpot chain called Shengyousheng that opened in the city last year. The name, which combines sheng (more) with yousheng (sound), reflects its founder's philosophy: communication is about more than just speech.

Shengyousheng's self-service model minimizes communication, allowing people like Deng to excel. "Our service model creates favorable working conditions for hearing-impaired individuals and helps them integrate without feeling different," 31-year-old branch owner Li Duo says.