CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction
Business organization exist because they have goals to attain. It is through people that organizational goals are achieved. In fact people are the most important assets of any organization. Their performance determined the success or failure of an organization. It is the concern of management that workers carry out their task effectively.
Secretaries as organizations members and agent through whom organizations achieve their objectives are very complex in nature. Basely and Robinson (1964) states that the work of the secretary varies according to the kind of products or service being rendered by the firm in which he is employed. The size of the organisation, the position of the secretary’s employer in the organization, and his employer’s manner or method of wok.
One of the problems of secretaries is the hierarchical structure o the profession. A secretary is ranked according to her level of education or grade. In the working system in the Nigerian economy, there are many problems and difficulties encountered by all classes of workers and which in olden days were called stenographers, typist etc. are now designated secretarial, Assistants I, II, III and IV. Problems ranging from the environment, public relations, accommodations, transport, the boss, salary and state governments are at presents raced with the problem of running result through efficient combination of resources at their disposal. These resources are man, machines, materials and money of these, man is regarded as the most important because he controls all other resources. The failure of the enterprises can therefore be traced to a failure in the managements of the human resources in the enterprises. Therefore, the problem of this study is to identify the working conditions of the office environment of a professional secretary and to evaluate how these affects their productivity. Organizations are seeking to create much competition between them, taking more market, more customers, more sales, etc. Rapid changes stemming from globalization, advancement of information systems and other factors have caused higher competition. Many organizations are driven by the market to set their goals in their performance. Some of the goals are: cost reduction, achieving sales levels, increasing the number of customers, increasing the market percentage, improving productivity and quality, innovative products. The realization of these goals will be achieved through effective cooperation between the Boss, secretary and the entire employee’s, as the key to success, will enable the achievement of organizational goals. For decades now, fast changes have been taking place in all facets of human life including the office environment. This is as a result of technological advancement. Every office in today’s business world, be it government, industry or other human endeavors, require facts and accurate information for quick decision-making. The office worker, including the secretary, expects certain support from the organization into which he/she is employed. This support can be technological (machines, equipment or financial) and human. In offices of past, manager’s dictated memos and letters and secretaries typed them. Most recently, business have developed word processing centers and relied on personal computers and even electronic mail in an effort to lessen the need for secretarial support and make the employee-secretary very productive (Ezoem, 1995; Osuala, 2004). As a result of changes in technology, the role of secretaries in business has changed tremendously from that of typewriting and shorthand dictation, answering of telephone calls and processing of mails. Today’s secretaries are exposed to office technology including the internet that make work much easier and knowledge more accessible (Edwin, 2008). It is now easier to send messages by telex, electronic mails (e-mails), fax and telephones. Other office gadgets available to the secretary are photo-copy machines, duplicating machines, dictating machines, printers, among others
Robins (1978) opines that the management of human resources simply means “how to achieve bigger and better results through the efforts of people working in the organization”. This is basically concerned with the integration of personal aspiration of the employees or groups of employees within that organization.
Robins (1978) further asset that people participated in an organized enterprise and indeed in all kinds of groups in order to achieve some goals that they will necessarily work and contribute all they can to be sure that these goals are accomplished. It has been observed that one needs the rights skills to accomplish and it follows therefore that employers will value any behaviour that is the actions people put into their jobs and the consequences of those actions.
What propels those action? What factors influence and affect a secretary’s work performance? How should a secretary’s work performance be improved? The answers to these questions are the focal points of this very study.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
These are the problems which the researcher intended to find out the solution at the end of the study.
Most secretaries cannot perform better due to the kind of job design structure given to them by their boss.
Sometimes job design given to them create a feeling to them that their contribution are not adequately compensated, recognized or needed in the organization.
They feel demoralized when they see their job as the one that have no definite sequence or procedure for doing it.
Because they feel demoralized or humiliated by their broiling managers they feel they cannot satisfy their psychological and social needs
These problems and so many others are what the researcher intend to find out the solution to in this study.
1.3 The Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of perceived cooperation between boss and the secretary is to enhance effectiveness of work performance in achieving organizational goal.
The overall purpose of this research work include the following.
- To evaluate the relationship between the boss and the secretary
- To determine the skill required by the secretary to have perfect relationship and cooperation with her boss
- To know the duties of a secretary to her boss that can facilitate co-existence between her and the boss
- To determine the causes of communication barrier/gap between the boss and secretary
1.4 Research Question
- To what extent does cordial relationship between the boss and the secretary affect the secretary’s productivity?
- To what extent does possession of good communication skill of a secretary facilitate cooperation between her and the boss?
- Does secretary’s diligence and competence affect his boss in achieving the organizational goals and objectives?
- Does lack of communication skill of a secretary has any effect on his boss in achieving and realization of the set goal of the organization?
1.5. Significance of the Study
The significance of the result of any study can be seen in its contribution to the improved performance, Innovation, solution, and new ideas, professional secretaries need some degree of satisfaction to be on the job, so that they can give their maximum best.
Hence, the findings will enable the Management of The Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti to establish a system of motivation, training and retraining professional secretaries, since it follows that employers will value any behavior that increase efficiency, especially Nigerian mentality that government work means no body’s work and so no body should be concerned about it.
The findings will also offer Organizations helpful suggestions towards the handling of problems therefore, making Organizations know that if secretaries are well motivated, it will make for efficiency in the job performance which leads to the attainment Organizational goals.
1.6. The Scope of the Study
This study is limited to secretaries of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti and executives e.g Heads of Department, Head of Units, Management Staff etc.
Geographically, the study covers the Ado Poly Venture, which is situated in the Federal Polytechnic as a case study. Contextually, the study focuses the effect of co-operation between the boss and the secretary in achieving the organizational goals
1.7 Definitions of Terms:
Secretaries: a person employed by an individual or in an office to assist with correspondence, make appointments, and carry out administrative tasks.
Boss: a person who is in charge of a worker or organization.
Skills: An ability and capacity acquired through deliberate, systematic, and sustained effort to smoothly and adaptively carryout complex activities or job functions involving ideas (cognitive skills), things (technical skills), and/or people (interpersonal skills).
Cooperation: Voluntarily arrangement in which two or more entities engage in a mutually beneficial exchange instead of competing.
- 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 recommendations made of the study.
