According to the poll findings, more than 80% of the respondents noted a decrease or a great decrease of their workload.
The poll was conducted from late May to early July. Here are some of the major findings:
The largest concentration of respondents was in Victoria followed by NSW
Over 85%of respondents were interpreters
The majority of respondents describe themselves as casually employed or freelance interpreters (combination of agency and their own clients).
The overwhelming majority of respondents said their workload had decreased or greatly decreased during COVID.
Respondents primarily work for private agencies, followed by Commonwealth agencies (TIS, DHS) then state government agencies (eg. MNSW, ITC SA)
Specialist Auslan/Deaf interpreting providers were only 4.2% of respondents
Specialist Aboriginal interpreting providers 0%
Just over 10% of respondents said they source their own clients.
Interestingly almost 70% of respondents said they had completed f2f assignments during the pandemic
Almost 90% did not believe they encountered a member of the public infected by COVID-19 on a f2f assignment
Health and safety procedures related to COVID-19 for interpreters implemented by the primary supplier (LSP) for face-to-face assignments during the pandemic
10-20% of respondents indicated that minimal procedures were implemented by agencies.
Overall agencies are shown to have not actively engaged in implementing safety for face to face assignments.
Health and safety procedures related to COVID-19 for interpreters implemented by public institutions for face-to-face assignments during the pandemic
As far as public institutions go, most to all were seen to implement most of the health and safety procedures listed in this survey eg. visible signage, temperature checks, security staff, physical distancing, reduction of visitor number, cordoned off areas and PPE. PPE received the lowest score and surprisingly, so did temperature checks.
Responses about whether the primary supplier’s response or lack of due to COVID-19 was putting them at risk were fairly equally distributed between yes, no, unsure – at around and average of 30% in each category.
Changes to workload
Telephone job offers definitely increased during the pandemic and a small increase in video was reported along with a significant decrease in on-site work for interpreters. This correlates with the majority of respondents reporting that they were earning less than before the pandemic.
The roughly 7% who said they were earning more attributed it to the following:
More telephone interpreting
Increased demand in the mental health sector
JobKeeper – “because it is more than interpreting pays in my state”
Those earning less attribute the financial loss to fewer on-site bookings and increased cancellations.
Other COVID-19 impacts on translators & interpreters
Increased income insecurity
Some said they saw almost all their work disappear
Decreased work in specific sectors, eg. health and education
Increased costs to implement remote interpreting facilities
Stress due to reduced workload
Increased difficulty in performing interpreting f2f where distancing was implemented
New OH&S issues arising from remote interpreting that are not addressed by agencies
Concerns about exposure to COVID-19 on the job
More effort required to ensure interpreter services are utilised
Less work because of concerns related distancing including travel and public transport
Fear of public transport therefore increased use of the car and associated costs
“Too sedentary at home”
More administrative duties (this would apply to eg. in-house hospital interpreters)
One translator reported more translations.
At least one respondent felt they had become more proficient in telephone interpreting!
Despite that most respondents reported receiving significantly fewer jobs than prior the pandemic, almost an equivalent number said they did not intend to leave the profession although almost 75% said that the response to COVID-19 has contributed towards thoughts of leaving the profession.
