Undramatic stories
Work environment is a highly relevant issue – for both employees and employers. With the concept Undramatic Stories, developed for the Swedish Work Environment Authority, we wanted to show that a lack of drama at work can be the best outcome of all – it means no one gets ill, injured, or dies from their job.
The case in short
What we did
A consistent focus on the work environment is crucial to promote good health – and prevent ill health – at work. Nearly all employees agree that work environment is important. And it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that no one becomes ill, is injured, or dies as a result of their work.
Of course, most business owners care deeply about their employees. But there are still many reasons to shine a light on the work environment. Because maybe we haven’t come as far as we think. Every year, thousands of people die prematurely from issues that can be linked to poor work conditions – about 500 people die from stress-related causes alone.
Together with the Swedish Work Environment Authority, we created the concept Undramatic Stories, where seemingly dramatic situations ended in anticlimax – because everything turned out fine and daily life could continue as usual. The effect was significant.
On average, one person dies every week due to work-related causes in Sweden. In addition, an increasing number of people say they don’t believe they’ll be able to work until retirement. Women, and people working in education, care, healthcare, and construction are particularly vulnerable. This is a growing problem.
The campaign was primarily aimed at small and medium-sized employers, with a particular focus on sectors with higher risks. Small business owners often have too much on their plate and little time to spare. And in smaller teams, the leader typically wears many hats – including that of work environment manager.
But no one wants to sit and talk about death, regulations, and safety protocols over lunch. To move away from traditional work environment rhetoric – and make our communication more relevant and closer to the everyday reality of small business owners – we needed a different approach.
The core idea was deceptively simple: a good work environment creates no drama. For employers, that means no unpleasant surprises – no human tragedies, no unexpected costs. Together with the client, we wanted to show that a lack of drama can be the best thing of all. It means no one gets ill, injured, or dies from work. Business runs smoothly. The company thrives.
Our approach was a kind of counter-narrative to the classic “warning communication”, which often features stories of people who have gone through terrible experiences with tragic outcomes.
The concept was rolled out broadly across several channels, given that the target audience was vast (companies with fewer than 10 employees make up around 96 percent of Sweden’s approximately 1.2 million businesses). To achieve both reach and frequency, we focused on TV and digital streaming platforms, supported by print and radio ads.
