Delivering Difficult Decisions - Exploring organizational justice in the Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s communication

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to deepen our understanding of how public authorities enact justice when communicating negative decisions to citizens. Specifically, the study examines withdrawal letters sent by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (SIA) to claimants regarding the withdrawal of sickness benefits. Drawing on organizational justice theory, with a particular focus on the dimensions of interactional and procedural justice, the aim is to analyze this communication and provide insights into how public authorities can promote a sense of justice in their actions. The following research question has been defined to guide the thesis: - How are concepts of organizational justice reflected in the SIA’s communication surrounding withdrawal of sickness benefit? Theory: The thesis draws upon concepts from the literature on organizational justice. The thesis focuses on two specific dimensions of justice: interactional and procedural. Interactional justice pertains to how organizations communicate with and treat individuals, while procedural justice focuses on the processes and means by which outcomes are allocated. Method: Quantitative and qualitative approaches to content analysis were employed to analyze withdrawal letters sent from the SIA to claimants denying sickness benefit. Results: The results indicate both achievements and areas for improvement in the SIA’s enactment of justice in communication. While balancing dimensions of justice presents a challenge and failing to uphold justice in some instances a problem, the study also demonstrates that public authorities have the capacity to change and even improve their communication practices when delivering negative decisions to citizens.