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From: TT
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Photo: Jonas Ekströmer / TT
Now, the country’s leading crisis manager has the opportunity to come up with simple and unambiguous messages on how Swedes should celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Stock Photography.
New virus guidelines are being developed for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. So it’s important that instructions are clear with minimal room for interpretation, says a communications expert to TT.
So far, it’s been a bit like this and like that with that thing.
On Tuesday, the Swedish Public Health Agency (FHM) is expected to present proposals for new national rules to stop the spread of covid-19. As of December 14, the general councils and regulations will replace the current city councils.
During this year of crisis, FHM has been criticized from time to time for unclear communication on virus management. It has been a diffuse language, words that could be interpreted in different ways, guidelines and unclear motivations for decisions.
– FHM has a great opportunity to influence people’s behavior. I would advocate for authority to come out more clearly. The problem is that there are different messages in different places and in different contexts, and most people find it difficult to distinguish what does and does not apply, says Jesper Falkheimer, professor of strategic communication at Lund University.
Straighter tubes
One important thing is to clearly distinguish when advice or regulations “should” or “should” be followed. This is to reduce the risk of arbitrary interpretations of compliance with the restrictions.
TT: What are your tips as a communication expert to make your messages clearer?
– Leave less space for interpretations. For example, about a month ago the message came that I shouldn’t go to the gym. Then, in another context, it was said “if you can go to the gym”, and then it becomes completely strange for people how the message should be interpreted, says Jesper Falkheimer.
– I understand that this is Swedish legislation, we cannot legislate like in other countries, but I think you could be much more direct in your information, saying DO NOT follow this, DO NOT do this.
Vague ord
Last week, TT CEO Johan Carlson at FHM was interviewed about the Christmas and New Years restrictions for the meetings they await. Without specifying the exact number, he still pointed to the eight-person norm.
– But if you have it as a reference value, it is probably quite good, said Johan Carlson.
The question is how “probably pretty good” should be interpreted. Maybe ten people work? Or twelve?
– Better to be clearer and say what applies. People want that kind of information. So I understand that a lot, for example, the purely medical can be relative. But such messages don’t work very well in the context we find ourselves in right now, says Jesper Falkheimer, who is glad to see that words like “quite”, “maybe”, “enough”, “good” cannot change. to crisis communication.
– It will be too vague, affirms.
Double meaning
Another ghost is the word “recommendation.” In ordinary language, the word indicates voluntariness, while in official usage it means rather that something is obligatory.
– I have all the respect for the fact that this is very difficult for the authorities. There is often a lot of discussion about information and communication in crisis situations, says Jesper Falkheimer.
As a researcher in crisis communication, you speak of double crises: the primary crisis is followed by a communication crisis.
– And that’s what happens in phase two during crises. In the first phase this spring, authorities were said to have a bullhorn opportunity. The journalism was quite uncritical, the authorities gained total dominance and the politicians agreed.
– Now in the second phase of crisis, there is much more conflict, discussion and argumentation. Then the authorities end up being more criticized, which is healthy, of course, says Jesper Falkheimer.
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