Project Materials

ANALYSES OF THE EFFECT OF BOSS/SECRETARY RELATIONSHIP OF STAFF MANAGEMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY IN SELECTED ESTABLISHMENT

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of boss-secretary relationships on employee management and output in a sample of businesses in Owerri, Imo State. It is the secretary’s responsibility to ensure that her supervisor and every employee have positive relationships. The project’s overarching goal is to clarify the secretary’s and executive’s respective functions within an organisation for the general public. There were five sections to this work, plus some introductory pages and a certification appendix. In the first chapter, we covered the overall context of the work, the study’s goals, the problem statement, the study’s importance, and its scope. Issue for investigation. The beneficial impact of the boss-secretary dynamic was the subject of the literature study that took place in chapter two. The dysfunctional nature of the connection between the boss and secretary, possible solutions to this problem, the secretary’s and executive’s respective responsibilities, and so on. Chapter 3 outlined the sequential actions followed by the researcher, focussing on the following: the study’s basic design; the instrument used for the research; the study’s implementation; the validation of the instrument; the technique for collecting data; and the method for analysing the data.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study 

Being social has been a part of man’s nature since the beginning. Because he was too poor to live alone, God made him a helpmate. Interactions with other people and the natural world have been crucial to man’s survival and progress towards his goals ever since.

For his existence to have any purpose, he must form meaningful relationships with other people, communicate with them, and listen to what they have to say. The boss is no different; he needs a good rapport with his secretary if the company is to achieve its aims.

It is impossible to overstate the significance of the boss/secretary relationship in contemporary organisations when it comes to staff management and productivity. The two characters serve as the centre of gravity around which the business operates.

From the correct vantage point, the boss-secretary relationship can be viewed as a two-way street, connecting the two individuals in their shared pursuit of efficient staff management and higher output in service of the organization’s stated objectives.

The definition of a secretary given by Hanna, Pohem, and Tilton (1973) is someone who works as an assistant to an executive and has excellent command of office procedures and software, can work independently with little oversight, is proactive, uses good judgement, and takes decisions within her authority.

The secretary is an essential member of the team. The junior cadre of employees is organised, supervised, and controlled by her. The secretary’s role is to facilitate communication between management and those under them.

She keeps the lines of communication open between them. This is due to the fact that achieving objectives becomes more challenging when communication breaks down. In order for subordinates to know who to report to, it is necessary to notify them.

Because of this, it is incumbent upon the boss and secretary to maintain amicable working relationships in order to facilitate staff management and boost productivity. Denger (1980) argues that good staff management entails identifying the amount, types, qualifications, personal qualities, and responsibilities of the people needed, as well as making sure they do their jobs well and efficiently.

Of all the facets of management, managing people is the most challenging. Even with a well-thought-out plan, bad management of the project’s employees could cause it to fail miserably when put into action.

When there is mutual respect between the boss and secretary, it opens the door for open dialogue throughout the company. Therefore, the secretary is in a prime position to both inform the staff about the organization’s objectives and relay their sentiments and hopes to the CEO.

The secretary’s role is to maintain open lines of communication both up and down the company, which allows her to capitalise on the boss’s good rapport in order to boost productivity and efficiency in managing employees.

In contrast, the company will suffer in numerous ways if their relationship takes a sour turn. Such as, but not limited to, low productivity, unhappiness with one’s job, lack of inspiration, and ineffective administration of one’s personnel. The boss’s failure to recognise his secretary’s abilities will lead to her underutilisation of her skills and a lack of motivation to tackle new tasks and challenges.

In contrast, a manager who views his secretary as an equal would constantly include her in the accomplishment of organisational goals, which will inspire her to perform at her highest potential and increase productivity.

Having a secretary who aspired to work for a president was the finest thing that ever occurred to Winston (1985), according to his evaluations of the inspiration he gained from her. She went out of her way to assist him succeed, even if he wasn’t president yet. She made a huge difference to his efficiency, and he was successful.

The secretary’s motivation, engagement, and contribution to the organization’s growth are all positively impacted by a boss’s efforts to foster a meaningful working relationship with her. Under the work government, workers are more likely to be open and actively involved in their work, which in turn improves their performance and increases output.

Executives and secretaries have a cooperative relationship in the office, says Whitehead (1981). It is expected that both parties will contribute to the completion of the objectives as business partners.

A friendly, trusting, and empathetic relationship should underpin their connection. When a boss and secretary have a firm grasp of who they are, it improves their ability to manage their subordinates, which in turn boosts output and efficiency, according to research. However, ineffectiveness and decreased productivity will result from a lack of human relationships.

This serves as a driving force for his research since he is a prospective secretary and is aware of the implications of the boss/secretary relationship. According to Nwosu (1997), a strong and friendly relationship between a boss and secretary is the secret to a boss’s success.

Because of the unique nature of his position, which necessitates close cooperation between the boss and secretary as well as enhanced engagement with members of the public, business sector, and government.

As a result, the secretary is heavily tasked with maintaining harmony within the team with her boss. All aspects of the boss’s business life should be positively and profitably impacted by her.

Consequently, the connection between bosses and secretaries is the focus of this research. How it impacts the management of employees and their output.

1.2 The Statement of the Problem

The amount of cordial interaction between the boss and the secretary is closely related to the level of productivity and effective staff management. However, there has been a lack of importance given to programs and training that try to improve this relationship.

The boss and secretary both have extensive specialised training, but their strained relationship nevertheless has a negative impact on staff management and productivity. A lack of trust between a boss and secretary is the root cause of most workplace conflicts, according to recent research.

Office workers’ dissatisfaction and low productivity are believed to stem from the boss’s and secretary’s immoral connection, which in turn leads to poor staff management.

Staff management and organisational productivity are the focus of this research study, which examines the impact of the boss/secretary interaction.

1.3.3 The Purpose of the Study

Staff management and output are the foci of this investigation into the nature of the boss-secretary dynamic. This study set out to:

Determine the responsibilities of the secretary at a few different Owerri, Imo State, establishments. Examine the impact of management style on employee output. Find out how staff management and output are affected by a toxic boss/secretary dynamic.

Examine how a good rapport between a boss and secretary influences command and output from employees. Determine what has to be done to improve the interaction between bosses and secretaries in a few different establishments in Owerri, Imo State.

1.4 The Significance of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the environmental and non-environmental factors that influence the boss/secretary relationship and how it affects staff management and productivity.

Thus, ministries, parastatals, and business organisations could use this study to rethink their executive and secretary training and development programs in the future with an eye towards building and maintaining great relationships, which would raise morale and productivity.

In addition, this research would pave the way for educational institutions like Owerri’s Federal Polytechnic Nekede to better prepare future executives and secretaries, which in turn would improve the dynamics between the two roles. Because of how important this connection is for managing employees and getting things done.

On top of that, the boss/secretary relationship is an important management tool, and this research project would be a good starting point for further studies on the topic.

Executives and secretaries in the company would benefit from this study since it would reveal the nature and depth of their relationship, which in turn would help the company grow.

Those outside the environment, including students and persons looking for work in the future, will be able to boost their performance and resolve any conflicts between themselves as a result. As a result, the public’s perception of the boss-secretary dynamic will be improved.

1.5 Research Questions

In order to achieve the project’s objectives, this study will provide satisfactory responses to the following research questions that served as its framework.

In a few businesses in Owerri, Imo State, how does the dynamic between bosses and secretaries affect employee management and output?

How might a boss-secretary dynamic improve management of employees and output at a few businesses in Owerri, Imo State?

How can a few businesses in Owerri, Imo State, improve the dynamic between their secretaries and bosses?

At which of these Owerri, Imo State, establishments does the secretary’s job fall?

Could you please explain the functions of the executive at the following Imo State establishments?

1.6 The Scope Of The Study

There is no such thing as an infinite research budget, and this study is no different. To that end, researchers in Owerri, Imo State set out to examine the dynamics between secretaries and their bosses, as well as the impact this dynamic had on the management of employees and their output.