ABSTRACT
The aim of this research work was to find out how aid what type of sociological factors that affect professional secretaries in their career. Secretaries and their bosses were selected from different organizations as well as the student secretaries of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and those of the college of education both in Port-Harcourt metropolis. The instruments used in this study were questionnaire and face to face oral interview. These were administered to the sample population. Questionnaires were administered to 150 student secretaries in which 130 responded. The result of the study observed that practicing secretaries dissatisfaction stems form the non recognition of their career as management team, no job prospects lack of rapid promotion. The career has being considered as inferior to other professions as well as being perceived as predominantly female profession. This is as a result of their non contributory attitude to decision making on the organization. This research work has five chapters. Chapter one contains a general discussion of the meaning of a secretary and the important role they play in an organization and what people feel we are in the society. Chapter two is discussing about the problems facing secretary in their offices. They are used as domestic skivvies and are regarded as shorthand typist. The main problems of the secretaries remains the perceived lack of status, we have always been perceived as just supported unequal treatment to secretaries compared to other professionals. Chapter three deals with the design of the study/research methodology, the methods used in collecting relevant date was administering questionnaires and conducting oral or face to face interviews on relevant persons, that is, secretaries and their senior manager as well as student secretaries. It was conducted in two higher Institutions, rivers state university of science and technology and rivers state College of education both in Port-Harcourt and in various organization. In data analysis a total of 330 questionnaires were administered to working secretaries, senior managers and student secretaries but out of this number 274 of them responded. Finally, the summary of findings, conclusion on the research and recommendations made by the researcher are all in chapter five. It was also discovered that non recognition of the secretaries as management team has contributed the secretaries job dissatisfaction. But with the advert of the new breed of secretaries who are given better education and the first exploration of the career by men, the impression about the career will eventually die a natural death and will be left to history
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In this part of the world a careful observer would discover that what we refer to as sociological factors affecting professional secretarial career in Nigeria has always been mistaken. The management of some entrepreneur and institution management has failed in their duties of providing these basic needs to their secretaries.
The world “secretary” has been defined by A.S Hornby, in the Advanced Learners Dictionary, as an employee or an official who deals with correspondences, keeps records, makes arrangements, appointment and other business affairs of the firm, society or club.
The Lexicon Webster dictionary, an encyclopedic edition, defines secretary as one entrusted with secrets, one who caries on another’s correspondences and performs other routine task; an officer of an organization or business who keeps records and assists in major decisions, a government officer whose business is to superintendent and manage the affairs of a particular department.
Office is of paramount importance to the organization since it is a decision making centre and it is through the office functions that the organization achieves its goals.
The importance of a secretary in any organization is not to be over –emphasized but the profession has been misconstrued due to small ill informed masses. M. blight (1983) in duties of a professional secretary commented on this. He said that, this argument is, in part, attributed to the inability of employers to clearly specify job description for professional secretaries. Again, B.O.Ekong (1984) in his article titled problems in professional secretarial career’ hold that, ‘some employers believe that the secretarial school merely teachers shorthand and typewriting to its graduates therefore, did not see the reason as to the substance of making them beneficiaries of some service conditions and promotional benefit, with their counterparts in other fields. This could be the reason why a secretary’s opinion is always neglected in decision making. Although he has been employed by the boss for his assistance, but his opinion is not always appreciated.
He attends meeting just as minutes jotter and reporter, his opinion is not being sought for in decision making. L.N.Mbaga (1984) in contemporary views, said that, “a professional secretaries are held as drop outs forced by self –induced disappointments and frustrations to specialize in typewriting and shorthand”.
Due to this misconception of the profession, less importance is attached to the secretary position. The secretary in an organization, is seen by other members of the organization, as merely an appendage. In most cases, he is regarded as a shorthand/typist by a majority of people. People well informed who are supposed to acknowledge the importance of secretaries in the society and consequently he feels slighted.
Some employers seen not to know the difference between the work of an office messenger and that of a secretary. Some secretaries are expected to do the boss’s wife or other co-workers and consequently this affects her psychologically. This was confirmed by an interview conducted by Nicola Tyre (1984), when a lady secretary said that at one time she had two houses to run as well as her normal job. She went on complaining that she was used as a domestic skinny, doing her boss’s personal errand running such as buying a present for the wife and her weekly shopping.
These type of problems facing secretaries in the job tend to affect their productivity and stability, even those with genuine interest for the career one scared away and consequently secretaries change of occupation becomes more, than in other fields like engineering, business administration etc.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes of non-recognition of secretaries and their profession or career along side similar professions in our society. To achieve these objectives and these following research questions will be answered.
1. To know the challenges faces Prof. Secretaries in their job performance.
2. To what extent do these challenges Prof. secretaries stability in the career.
3. To know the measured could be taken to solve this problem.
4. To identify’ s those factors that affect secretaries on the job function.