Sharjah:

In the lead up to the eighth International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2019), the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) invited senior officials from Kantar Public of  WPP, the British multinational advertising and public relations company,  to deliver a full-day workshop on government communication to about 40 members of Sharjah’s Executive Council, on Monday. 

The workshop, conducted by Kantar Public’s Chief Executive, Consulting, Sean Larkins; and Joseph Hayek, Associate Director, Middle East, was focused on the role of communications in effective policy delivery and delved into the most pressing questions governments around the world face today: how can they better connect with their citizens and develop a relationship of trust, when the rise of ‘infobesity’ (becoming information obese) through penetration of social media and other digital technologies continues to polarise public opinion?

Both Kantar consultants who have spent several years serving the UK government agreed that government communication with the public has taken a sharp strategic turn, where it is no longer enough to issue a press release announcing a public campaign or welfare initiative.

They impressed upon the select audience the fact that changes in society’s media consumption mean that governments can no longer operate in a vacuum and need to recognise that public policy cannot be delivered successfully without effective communication. 

“Through Kantar’s work with over 70 governments worldwide, and through extensive research and evidence we have established that just giving people information is not going to change their behaviour for the betterment of self or society. That is why governments need to build a closer connection with people and deal more in behavioural psychology for effective delivery of public services,” said Larkins, emphasising that building trust is often what offers  legitimising policy.   

Joseph Hayek presented some key findings from The Leaders’ Report: The Future of Government Communication, WPP’s first global study into government communication spanning 40 countries. He noted that the study has attempted to respond to growing concerns of communication leaders who are struggling to keep pace with how citizens communicate and engage in the 21st century. 

He shed light on the UAE findings in the report, saying the UAE government is the fourth most trusted in the world with 71 per cent citizens believing their families will be better off in five years’ time. Hayek also said that in 2018, UAE’s trust in public institutions rose by 24 per cent, and national initiatives like ‘Year of Giving’ and ‘Year of Zayed’ were largely responsible for this as they united the nation behind a common purpose. Public activations of both campaigns were social-media heavy, in a nation where 99 per cent are on social media and 92% are ‘active users’. 

“Emiratis spend on an average 2.5 hours a day on social media, and the 18-21 year olds, nearly five hours a day. They are also more likely to use social media for news and to get information on social events. The way citizens consume media has completely changed; power is in the public’s hands,” he said quoting the study.

So, what does the advent and constant development of digital technologies mean for the UAE’s and Sharjah’s government communicators in responding to the rising expectations of politicians, policymakers, and especially the public?

The two government communications consultants highlighted that these shifts have led to better lives leading to increased individualism, and while the Sharjah and UAE governments are perhaps the best connected with their citizenry than any other government in the world, the public’s short attention span, multiple channels and platforms, and high levels of cynicism act as barriers to policy delivery.

They stressed that governments need to work harder to connect with citizens, and build trust by connecting emotionally on a more personal level with them – like friends or confidants do,  to bring about ‘behavioural change towards human development’, which is also the theme of the eighth edition of IGCF 2019.  

Among important attendees at this workshop were Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council (SMC); HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Dr Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (Shams), Brigadier Saif Mohammad Al Ziri Al Shamsi is the new Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director of Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Jawaher Al Naqbi, Director of International Government Communication Centre (IGCC) and other senior Sharjah government officials. 

-Ends-

© Press Release 2019

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