Measuring translators’ quality of working life and their career motivation

Abstract

This article discusses the conceptual and methodological aspects of the Translator WRQoL (Work-related Quality of Life) survey and provides some preliminary results and observations based on the first pilot study. The survey is being developed to measure translators’ work satisfaction and motivation in the context of job digitalisation and automation. Literature suggests that translators’ work satisfaction and their career motivation have been adversely affected. The survey being developed in this study intends to quantitatively measure the causes of the adverse effects using psychometric-strong scales. The ultimate goal is to administer the Translator WRQoL survey on a large scale, and using SEM (Structural Equation Modelling), to identify the causal relationships between the constructs measured by the scale and to determine what kind of translators (regarding worker profiles and attitudes to technology and other factors) have high/low levels of work-related quality of life and are more/less willing to stay in the profession.