Abstract
Stress can be said to be non-specific reaction of the body to the demand made on it by external or internal stimulus events called stressor. Stress as emotional process has psychological and physiological implications. Many professional secretaries experience conflicts because of office demands which is consuming most of their time, thereby neglecting their home duties to the background. Conflicts occur because the person wants to devote adequate attention to both family and office works. This research examines impact of stress on job performance of secretaries in an organization. The population of the study was 300 staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede in Osun State. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire. Data collected were analyze with frequency and percentages. It was discovered that secretaries face a lot of stressful situations in the course of doing their jobs but that some were more stressful in their effect than others. Recommendations were made that secretaries should clearly outline their numerous official and domestic functions daily and attend to them adequately.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
Pressure is part and parcel of all work which helps to keep one motivated and urges the individual to strive for excellence, but increased pressure can lead to stress which undermines performance. Job life is an important aspect of our daily lives that exerts a great deal of stress. The work of secretaries are stressful in nature since they are the head and eye of the organization. Sometimes secretaries feel depressed and discourages because of the work fully packed for them and there is inadequate time to tackle all these jobs, even at that, the manager will be shouting on them to hurry up, and as the secretary looks around and finds no help, stress arises(John, 2017). The roles and functions of the secretary are basic to the organization – this range from covering meetings, taking care of all office routine duties, keeping schedules in her boss’s desk diaries for complete and effective job performance up to date and supervising sub-ordinates as well as keeping other general information in the office. In the organization, she is also important to the organization because of her ability to remain calm under extra-ordinary condition of work pressures and human demands. The roles and functions of the secretary are basic to the organizational roles and so cannot be confined within the purview of a job description. They range from covering of meetings, taking care of office duties, keeping schedules in both hers and her boss’s desk diaries for complete and effective job performance up-to-date and supervising subordinates as well as keeping order generally in the office. All these to be done without a pause to enable the smooth flow of work. Thus, she is also important to the organization because of her ability to remain calm under extraordinary condition of work pressures and human demands. The secretary’s obligations to the boss can sometimes be strenuous and conflicting with her other obligations to herself and to the company. This view of secretary’s function is an archaic one in view of the changes that have taken place in her training and job, but some employers still cling to it and cause her stress on the job when she finds difficulty in obeying these instructions.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Stress comes as a result of over working oneself. Over work may emanate from the manager of an organization or the secretary herself or himself. A situation where the manager fail to recruit more workers in the organization, this will generate stressful condition for the secretaries working with them which may lead to frustrations, tension and anxiety and as a result of this problem may occur. The secretary herself causes stress in her job, as a result of her inability to schedule her time according to her engagements. In view of the adverse effects of stress on the performance of the secretary, it becomes imperative to take a very keen look at the reasons for stress in work place, the effect of stress on the job performance of secretary and ways of improving the condition using empirical evidence
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The following research objectives were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- To examine the influence of stress on secretaries job performance in an organization
- To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between job stress and secretaries job performance
- To examine the impact of stress on secretaries job satisfaction
- To proffer suggested solution to the identified problem
- RESEARCH QUESTION
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Does stress influences secretaries job performance in an organization?
- Is there any significant relationship between job stress and secretaries job performance?
- Is there any impact of stress on secretaries job satisfaction in an organization?
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study
H0: there is no significant relationship between job stress and secretaries job performance
H1: there is a significant relationship between job stress and secretaries job performance
H0: Stress does not influences secretaries job performance in an organization
H2: Stress does influences secretaries job performance in an organization
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
it is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of significance to management on how to effectively manage her secretary in order to get her best performance may be one of the reasons why the secretary is subjected to stressful conditions at the place of work. It is hoped that after reading this work the boss will be better informed as how to handle a secretary to get maximum performance from her. It is hoped that as a result of careful perusal of this work, the secretary will be in a better position to recognize stressors, avoid them whenever possible and control their effects on her performance. This should lead to a better job performance on her part. This work may later prove useful to academicians who may find all or it as useful points for further research work on the secretary’s job.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers the influence of stress on secretary’s job performance in an organization with emphasis on federal polytechnic Ede Osun state. But in the course of the study, there are several factors that limit the scope of the study which were beyond the researchers reach:
(a)Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
(b)Time: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
(c)Finance: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
1.8 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Stress: This is the state of the secretary’s disposition when she had been affected by a stressor
Secretary: The is a person employed in an office, usually working for another person, dealing with letters, typing, keeping records, preparing itineraries, making appointments, and arrangements.
Job: This is referred to as a particular piece of work or task being carried out by a secretary
Performance: This is the ability a secretary has to operate efficiently or react quickly
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion and also recommendations made of the study.
