Thriving or Surviving: Motivation, Satisfaction, and Existential Sustainability in the Translation Profession

Abstract

Despite the health of the language industry in general, the translation profession(al) faces a range of sustainability challenges. Against a backdrop of key disruptors that are transforming workflows and working conditions, and ongoing concerns over status, pay, and wellbeing, industry reports flag an intensifying “talent crunch”, making it increasingly difficult to retain vital human capital. And yet, despite a range of rather bleak industry and academic data, many translators are still happy. In this paper, we use Maslow’s influential theory of motivation to draw together key concerns and to analyse this motivation-satisfaction paradox. We identify worrying deficits in all and even the most basic needs, and contend that translators’ self-actualisation – in this case, their sense of fulfilment through translation itself – acts as a ‘pull’ factor that can compensate for these unfulfilled needs, to a degree. Ultimately, however, these deficits are clearly taking an increasing toll and, in the interests of long-term professional conservation, we must focus further on the lived experience of the individual translator to build towards a thriving professional environment.