How are you, public service interpreter?

The occupational well-being of public service interpreters in Finland

Kirjoittajat

• Lena Segler-Heikkilä Diaconia University of Applied Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61200/mikael.163841

Avainsanat:

public service interpreter, work-place well-being, well-being, interpretation, interpreting

Abstrakti

This study aimed to identify the factors that, according to spoken language public service interpreters working in Finland, positively or negatively affect their well-being at work. The theoretical framework combines theories of workplace well-being. Data were collected through a survey featuring both open and close-ended questions conducted from November 2023 to August 2024 with 90 respondents. The findings indicate that public service interpreters consider the most important factors promoting work well-being to be the appreciation of their work, as well as receiving thanks and praise, the feeling of the work's significance and necessity, and the sense of achievement from doing a job well. Factors negatively affecting work well-being include income-related problems and fears, issues related to technology and technical problems, as well as problems related to schedules and bookings. The results indicate that the needs for self-actualization and esteem are fulfilled, whereas the need for psychological and physical safety is not.

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