PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY FEMALE SECRETARIES IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATION. A CASE STUDY OF (NEPA ENUGU)
This research world is aimed at defining the problems of female secretaries in business organizations. A case study of NEPA.
The problems of female secretaries crivisaged in this include discrimination in employment, husband’s attitude, the secretary boss relationship, social problems, psychological problems and limited chances of advancement. The researcher collected data for this study from questionnaires, it was discovered that female secretaries are not discriminated against in employment, official responsibilities expressly affect the private life of a female secretaries. Having made the above findings, the recommendations, business organization should have a policy, statement opposing age, sex, discrimination in employment. The female secretaries should try to keep their business and private life.
TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
A secretary has been defined by the National International Association as executive assistance who posses a mastery of skill, who demonstrate the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who exercise initiative and judgment and who takes decisions within the scope of assigned authority.
Stenographers and secretaries are office workers whose jobs primarily require stenographic skills, namely proficiency in taking dictation with shorthand. Three million people employed as secretaries representing one out of every six clerical workers.
`more than 98% of secretaries and stenographers are women (new age Encyclopedia Vol. 13). The secretarial profession came to Nigeria as a whole with the coming of the white men (colonial masters)
when the white men came to Africa, they needed to communicate with they blacks hence they searched for and made “interpreters”. These interpreters are indigenes of the various areas they visited. This enable both parties to communicate with each other. Through this, clerks wee later created by the white men and these clerks were later made secretaries when office were set up but with little responsibilities.
Firmly the work of these secretaries where quite few but as time went on and with Nigeria independence in particular, Nigerian took over the post from the white men who dominated the profession.
The word secretary has a lot to do with secrecy. The secretary must be able to keep official secrets without reserve. The secretarial course/career for women or female gender while the men go into other profession.
At times,, more females are left in the profession than males. As a result, about 98% of employed secretaries and stenographers are females (new Age Encyclopedia Vol. 13 page 359, office worker)
Unfortunately, the role of the secretary is quite understood by most people especially in Nigeria. It therefore follows that most of the problems confronting the secretarial profession arouse as a result of misconception by people. They do not seem to understand what secretarial profession entails.
Consequently, the female secretaries in this profession are always faced with numerous problems. These problems range from their homes and domestic responsibilities to their job, their colleagues, social suspicious, sexual harassment from male bosses, job stress, office politics, lack of recognition in the society due to gender problems, intimidation by the male counterpart as they seem to team up with the male bosses against the woman.
However, the married female secretaries are expected to exhibit a sense of responsibility, ,show a sign of maturity, royalty and reliability in the performance of her duty.
The problem of female secretaries does not end there, some married female secretaries have miscarriage of their unborn babies due to stress in their job. We all know the nature of secretaries work is such that can keep one away for 24 hours, so at times some secretaries/mothers with new infant will be busy working up and down in the office by frequent visits to the boss office distraction by phone calls and other official works and before you know it, the forming baby will start threaten to go out, and if the good lord is not on their side they might loose the baby. According to Asogwu (1993) about 40% of miscarriages are as a result of stress.
In the same vain, a secretary required to have administrative ability to keep an office running smoothly in sight to assign priorities and judgment to know when to issue orders on behalf of her boss, she conserves the boss time by screening telephone calls, visitors and mail.
More so, a secretary is one who has undergone some training in secretarial courses and has acquired good speed in powerful, a source of both strength and vulnerability for both parties. Secretaries may either save or destroy their bosses.
Consequently, a word processing assistant is parlayed as the extension of her boss, loyal, trustworthy and devoted. She is expected to love, honor and obey, relieving her boss of the routine and the trial creating the conditions for his detachment from the mundane rituals of every day life. She is the gatekeeper protecting her boss from those who would waste his time or want to know his private business, mediating his relation with the outside world.
In the same vain, a secretary is a kind of partners with employer. It is her duty to save the boss a great deal of detailed and as much routine work. They can think for him and anticipate his needs, learn his preferences and obey them even if you do not always agree with his ideas. Assume that he is always right. She should be on the conservative side of dressing simple and neat. The secretary is the center of attraction all the time ion the office for both the employer and the callers. She always saws the management time and creates the pre-conditions for their boss advancement. Most of the pressures of the job are the sense of the being close to the center of power, participating in decision making, having confidential knowledge, having power to act on behalf of the boss.
When a person has successfully undergone training as a word processor, or secretary, she is then vested with some responsibilities like copying typed words, production of official documents like letters, new reports he/she also clears and maintain the word processor as well as the general overlies of the office.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
It is the aim of everybody to be an achiever in what ever he/she does in life. People in this profession look forward to succeed, but unfortunately, females in this career encounter one problem or the other and for this reason they are not pleased with the job. Below are some of the problems encountered by female employees in the profession.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the study are
1.4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This study is designed to study NEPA and its environs on the challenges and problems facing their female secretaries in the charge of their duties.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will no doubt help both married and unmarried female secretaries in tackling their problems effectively. It will serve as a guide in improvement of status, working conditions and attitude towards female secretaries.
It will also help to alley the fears of those intending to go into secretarial profession. This study will also offer more area that student may wish to make further research on problems encountered by female secretaries in other organization.
Furthermore, the study will serve ass an indicator to employers so as o know how to treat their female secretaries, know the working environment that will be best for maximum efficiency and the entire work of the organization. Finally, it will improve the organization performance generally and give more chances for women empowerment
More so, this study will help to improve the chances of advancement of the female secretaries. The study will also clear the grounds on people view of the female secretaries and curb the threat, as well as effect changes on the ill treatment meted out to secretaries in some organization.
1.7 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated for this study
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