Auditing management practices in schools: Recurring communication problems and solutions

Over the past ten years, most Dutch high schools have been confronted with mergers, curriculum reforms, and managerial changes. As a result, the pressure on the schools' communication systems has increased and several problems have emerged. This paper aims to examine recurring clusters of communication problems in high schools.

A multi‐method communication audit was conducted within three large high schools in The Netherlands. Data were collected using network analysis, the critical incident technique, and the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire.

The communication audits uncovered six major clusters of communication problems that require management's attention. These problems vary from a lack of participation in decision making to employees feeling under appreciated. While some of these problems could be solved by creating more awareness within the organization, others require more structural changes and long‐range planning.

The study identifies specific problem areas in the organizational communication of high schools. Educational managers may use the findings to optimize the communication in their schools.