“Workload survey makes discussable what would otherwise remain hidden”

Teaching pupils who have already been through a lot requires a lot from staff. The work is hard, the commitment high. This is precisely why Jan Hofman, director-director of the J.H. Donnerschool Foundation, thinks it is essential to reflect on the workload and well-being of his team. A recent workload survey helped get the conversation going and prompted concrete improvements.

The J.H. Donnerschool Foundation provides special and secondary special education in De Glind and Hilversum. With some 100 employees, they supervise pupils with complex problems. “It is a very intensive target group,” says Hofman. “Especially with the youngest children, tension can sometimes suddenly run high.” Because of the intensity, Hofman says a workload survey is indispensable. “It has a huge impact if a staff member is not feeling well. Our teaching is lousy. You are with your class every minute and only have a break when the pupils have gone home.

DUO-Onderwijs's recent workload survey yielded recognisable but also surprisingly concrete insights. “You see that relatively simple things cause work pressure, such as ICT problems, faltering wifi or a poorly ventilated classroom. Those are things I can quickly address.” At the same time, the survey also addressed less tangible issues, such as the perceived support from managers and the focus on well-being.

The outcomes varied from site to site and from team to team. At one site, it emerged that the informal, jolly atmosphere was perceived as pleasant by some, while others found the same atmosphere stressful. “It also emerged that employees sometimes experience undesirable behaviour from a colleague or even a manager. That's an important talking point, because how do you discuss it if you are walking around with that?” At another site, on the other hand, it emerged that parents/carers exhibit undesirable behaviour. “Of course you start making concrete policies on that,” says Hofman. “The research brings issues to the surface that people otherwise keep to themselves. It makes them discussable. That's important, because you don't want people to get stuck or end up leaving. A survey like this is a safe way to show what is going on.”

With the results on the table, Hofman got a sharp sense of where action was needed. Besides practical improvements, such as a more stable Wi-Fi network, communication training is planned at one of the sites. “I want an open and transparent working atmosphere,” he stresses. “Employees must dare to address each other, be able to give feedback and be positively critical of each other.”

At the location where parents cause unrest, efforts are made to communicate clearly about responsibilities and, for example, the complaints procedure. In addition, staff receive support in contacting parents. “You don't always have to hold parent meetings alone,” Hofman explains. “You can also do that together with a colleague, so you are not alone.”

The research findings also help Hofman organise external support. “We see that our pupil population is becoming increasingly complex. With clear facts and figures, I can better substantiate to the administrators of the regional municipalities why extra support is needed.”

The research helps Hofman see more clearly what employees need and how he can support them in a more targeted way. About DUO-Onderwijs he is positive. “The report is clear and well-organised, with clear analyses and diagrams. No complicated models, but concrete starting points to get started.”

On the advice of the participation council, the workload survey is repeated every two years. “That can sometimes be exciting for managers,” Hofman concludes. “But if we dare to be vulnerable, employees do too. In this way, we build together a school where openness is natural and where everything can be said.”

Jan Hofman is managing director of Stichting J.H. Donnerschool, a school for special and secondary special education in Hilversum and De Glind.