PROJECT WORK

Title: Challenges facing person secretaries in Public Offices

1.1 Introduction

The word secretary simply means a person who works in an office and manages the organization.

Although a secretary is perceived more as a personal assistant or administrative assistant, the

professional secretary is one of the most essential human resources in a business organization

because he helps make the wheel of the organization to turn. Secretaries provide the unseen

services which make the organizations to prosper. Ekelegbe,K (2008)

A secretary is a person, whose work consists of supporting management, including executives,

using a variety of professional ethics and communication and organizational skills. Wordnet

(2008) defines secretary as a person who assists a member of staff or top management level, and

who undertakes a lot of administrative tasks for the smooth running of the office. This definition

was confirmed by wikipedia (2008) where a secretary is seen as a person employed to write

orders, letters, dispatch public or private papers, records and the like, an official scribe, one who

attends to correspondence and transacts other business for an association, a public body, or an

individual.

A secretary is an indispensable element in achieving organizational goals. He serves as a memory

bank in his organization, scrutinizes visitors so as to give the executive enough time to do some

other office activities, keep records so as to prevent embracement and the lost of important

document which could consequently have a negative effect to the organization.

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The personnel roles of a secretary include membership of interview panels for junior staff and

assigning job schedules to staff. It also involves receiving, sorting and distributing mails within

the organization, composing replies to correspondences on behalf of the executive, identifying

and solving routine and non-routine problems by applying professional skills and techniques in

order to develop the variety of ideas and modify situations (Shuaibu, 2009).

Secretary must be skillful in written communications, as he will often be called upon to draft and

edit correspondence on behalf of the organization to outside groups as well as internal members.

The secretary must therefore be fluent in the organizations jargons, and be familiar with

organizations communications style requirements.

1.3 Statement of the Problem

It is degrading and understatement to say that secretarial career is of no importance because

secretary is an eye opener. Through which every organization sees.

A secretary is a skilled and specialized type of employee in an establishment or part of it who is

charged with some aspects of organization functions in the unit dealing with people
correspondence and other business matters;

In today modern world secretaries are faced with a lot of challenges offices due to what they are
required to offer. Therefore it is basically necessary that secretaries be giver equipment in
institute of management and technology Enugu and other tertiary institution in Enugu capital
territory.

This profession is a career that attracts disregard from people equating eyes. Most employers do
not accord them a befitting recognition and respect, rather they show disregard and disrespect
for the career. Often the people misunderstand the word secretary. They are of the opinion that
anybody who write some seen it as a mere womans career and non-prestigious. The secretary
suffers image and personality degrades and thus crosses cabinet to other profession.

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Among the challenges every person is facing in to grow in his area of profession. Career growth
is problem facing not only secretaries, but also other professionals. There is no problem that is
obvious to find career challenges to any profession, the endangering problem facing the
secretarial cadre is on career in Tanzania are taken to work in medium paying posts, mostly,
working a personal secretaries acting as helping mistresses or masters to their bosses. Their
employers always struggle to maintain them as their helpers in their office work, which is the
true fact, but there is hardly Endeavour to promote them to higher lends.

1.4 The reasons for undertaking such a project work

In any business or organization the need for speed service provision and delivery of services is a
very crucial factor. Most of the current investors in various business areas prefer employing
secretaries with shorthand skills, as the skill will influence the fast running of the company.

It is the suiting skill to the secretaries that is currently gaining momentum. There is a
growing interest to many of the employers and business man, who have grown there spheres to
the outside world. The purpose for the choice of stenography is to develop a system that would
facilitate speed writing and help to reduce the problem of communication for management.

To find out the level of growth of secretaries in the public offices, the reason behind is that the
researchers want to find out how secretaries grows in public offices, are they be given priorities
to attend short and long courses, it is their aim to investigate this matter.

To investigate the root causes hindering career growth in the secretarial profession, another
reasons for the undertaking this project is that to find out what setback the secretaries in their
profession.

To explain the role of secretaries in enhancing Public Services Operations, another reason to
undertake is to find out how secretaries helps the public offices in performing their duties and
responsibilities.

1.5 The challenges facing person secretaries in Public Offices

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Following its increasing demand from the modern business and public work, shorthand skilled
secretaries have been currently in need in many offices or business areas. The skills have
currently been in use in business court rooms, conferences, speeches being delivered, for this
part its need and usefulness cannot be disputed.

This study intends to find out the usefulness and applicability of these shorthand skills secretaries
in Tanzania whether these skills have gained any success and trust.

Absence of focused planning and goal setting to many people has given way towards the
derailing the nurturing the job career. The author points that many people do not set out and
work on the goals set.

Failure to improve their educational skills by going further for more studies has led to the
difficulties in their job chances. Most of the secretaries stay satisfied with the little job posts
they obtain or fail to take up more studies to improve their levels of education.

There is a problem of hard work working spirit working spirit to enhance job efficiency
laziness is a shared problem share among most of the employees in Tanzania, this has caused
them not to acquire appreciation from their employer higher promotions, as a result they remain
dormant in their career and difficult to nurture their career.

The absence of government support to promote the secretarial profession as another limiting
factor. When the government does not set out special plans and formulate policies which directly
focus on the resolving the problems to secretaries, it is hard for the secretarial cadre to acquire
honor prestige and promotion.

Gender related issues and associated problems Gender Bias and Career Growth. In many
areas, the secretaries especially in public and private offices, has been reviewed to be a feminine
job. Most of the male bosses prefer to have female secretaries, whereby the secret behind has
been revealed to be sexual harassment to these secretaries from their bosses. Sexual harassment
has affected the working efficiency to these secretaries, it has also given to poor performance due
to tack of seriousness, time factor to taken into current and failure to exercise full control over
them.

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Lack of concentration, most of the Tanzanian secretaries has one problem in common problem
which they share. They have failed to pay attention in their professional work delivery. For this
fact it has proved fruitless in their carrier.

Low level of Training, most secretaries end up acquiring diploma or certificate in their carrier,
this has lead up to low performance. As a result, they cant prove ability to acquire higher levels
of performance especially in spelling and speed.

Low salary, most of the employed secretaries in public offices are paid little, which makes it
impossible for them to go further studies to acquire higher level of education which can improve
their betterment.

Apart from the above, poor secretarial studies points to the view that lack of confidence to most
of secretaries in Tanzania to excel well in their carrier. The author says that, confidence wins
everything, confidence proves ones ability and better performance and confidence gives ways to
ones trust from others.

Lack of funds: The organizations cannot survive or carryout their training and developing
secretaries efficiently without the provision of adequate financial resources. Fund is needed to
pay secretaries, maintain the organization facilities and infrastructures, provide training and
development and keep the training progarammes going. This supports the general notion that
training programme is an expensive venture and consequently requires sustainable inputs from
all public offices for a successful implementation, but this is different to public offices the
secretaries are not given priority hence become underperformance.

Lack of technological skills, to most secretaries prove them unable to perform better in their
carrier. Modern carrier growth the author views, must go hand in hand with technological
changes. It is not enough for a secretary to study about secretarial skills theoretically; rather it
must be coupled up with better computer applications which are fundamental experience in the
modern world of technological advancement.

Modern office technology and carrier growth concludes that ability in modern office
technology is so crucial in the secretarial productivity. The author is so relevant to the topic at

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hand as most of the current job seekers, from the secretarial cadre prove to have little office
technology application. This poses a great hindrance to the offices delivery of better services.

Professional inequality: There is lack of sense of dignity for human labour as regards
conception, assumption and disposition; there is lack of care for some public offices secretaries
through abuse of labour in the institutions.

Some working benefits, offer to people in other professional are defined the secretaries such like
sending to training, improving their work conditions, investment on modern machines to free
them from using manual typewriter. However, their affects the professional ability of secretaries
in performance of duties.

A secretary is seen erroneously through as nothing more than a helper of his/her boss.
Moreover, a secretary does not attend meetings just to partake or contribute in decision making
and policy execution rather she attends as a recorder of deliberations, this infact suggests that
secretaries are poorly regarded in their profession and this affects their morals in presence of
other co-professional bodies in the course of training and development.

Inadequate reward, inadequate reward to trained secretaries is an economic problem which

secretaries have been battling with over years, this goes to stress the view that the salary paid to
trained is reasonable law and have resulted to poor standard of living which the secretary are
facing.

Political instability; today political instability is one of the greatest problems which secretaries
are encountering. The frequent change of government affects the training and developing of
secretaries, in that a secretary may behind to a different party from his/her employers party.
From this fact there is a clear indication that misunderstanding must pave way to their
interpersonal relationship.

The boss may decide to mal-treat the secretary because of his/her disagreement with the boss
policy, and may a times cause barrier to the secretarial training and development. If it happen
that the boss party wins, this may result to total withdrawal of the secretary by the boss or sudden
transfer to another office as punishment.

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1.6 The Recommendations best approaches to solve the problems

Dealing with change; the first challenge which comes to mind is the reality that we are all
faced with changing workplace environments and in particular, the changes which may be
introduced to our specific role. Todays tough economic climate continues and I believe that this
is one of the key contributing factors towards person secretaries in Public Offices. Hence the
secretaries should accept changes and not to be rigid.

Managing a Big Load/Work Life Balance; managing the workload is one of the biggest
challenges we facing secretaries, particularly if they support more than one executive.
Conflicting priorities among executives can make secretaries feel fragmented, especially when
last-minute changes occur. They typically manage not only their own time, but the business
schedules for those we support. Frequent interruptions are common and we sometimes struggle
with work-life balance. Many secretaries work long hours and some have the expectation we do
the same. In addition, they must struggle to find the time to communicate with our bosses during
their busy schedules in order to solve the problem.

Ensure clear simple, procedures are in place and a good communication strategy;
secretaries should have a very good relationship with the people we support and excellent
organizational skills are very important not only in managing a heavy workload, but being
appreciated that we also have a life outside work. Being able to communicate helps with
prioritizing work, meet deadlines with minimal stress and our work load not to be
underestimated. Ensuring clear, simple procedures are in place makes a world of difference i.e.
being included in an email only when clearly you need to be aware of what is going on or you
are expected to action. This is very helpful when you are looking after multiple calendars and
diaries. Being given notice where possible with travel plans. Being diplomatic and creative with
the limited time available, to connect at least once a day, either on the phone, email or in person.
This ensures everyone is on the same page and reduces stress and time wasted unnecessarily.

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Time management; It is absolutely true that effective management of time continues to be a
challenge we all face on a regular basis. For person secretaries, there is a huge amount of
juggling that takes place at the coalface, as we simply respond to doing whatever it takes just to
get the job done.

Learn what communication style works best for you and your boss; Communication with the
boss and the staff of the organization needs to be clear and precise there is a priority on the
time you spend with your boss. Ensure you cut to the short version and deliver what is absolutely
considered the need to know information!

Work out the best style of communication for you both. The most critical factor is to establish
with your boss the best form of communication which matches the preferred daily routine. The
key aim is to avoid the left hand right hand scenario and at the same time provide the assurance
regarding any important developments with a definitive outcome.

Dealing with Ambiguity; management should be able to communicate, bring clarity to their
team and make decisions on the best available information, however somehow this does not
always happen and we often have to deal with ambiguity. Being able to effectively deal with this
ambiguity is very important in secretaries roles to ensure things run as smoothly as possible on a
daily basis. We effectively have to cope with change; wear different hats quickly and
comfortably; decide and act without having the total picture and confidently handle risk and
uncertainty.

In conclusion, personal secretaries are very important for the development of the office have

many technologically advanced office gadgets to ease their jobs and enhance proficiency and

productivity leading to improved access to goods and services globally, an administrative

function of a secretary involves organizing and controlling the organizational activities in order

to achieve the objectives of the organization. It also includes supervision of junior staff and

ensuring that schedules of work are being accomplished, directives and assigned tasks completed

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within the time span, and ensuring that all the materials needed for performing any particular job

are available at the right time.

Hence it is a time to respect and caring for secretaries as well to know their needs this will

enhance effectively performance of the organization.

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BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Eugene, M (2011), the responsibilities of the Secretary in an Organization: Studies for general
secretarial service of the office which includes protecting and handling office particulars,
Prentice Hall, London.

Gregory, I (2010), the importance of secretary in maintaining Customer Care: A study in Public
Schools, 4th ed. Oxford University, London.

Taheem, N (2009), How secretaries can be responsible for dealing with correspondences and
other duties, Butterworth Heinemann, Boston.

Antony, F (2008), Monitoring and evaluation can be practiced by secretaries: A case study in
Northern Sweden, Business schools, Boston.

Collins, J (2009), the duty of Secretary in Western Europe, University of Wollongong,

Wollongong.

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