CHALLENGES OF SECRETARIES WORKING IN FINANCIAL HOUSES

CHALLENGES OF SECRETARIES WORKING IN FINANCIAL HOUSES

ABSTRACT

Secretaries at model banks were the focus of this research into the difficulties they face on the job. The literature evaluation served as the theoretical foundation for our investigation. The researcher was able to gather sufficient data for the study by developing research questions and creating questionnaires. All of the secretaries served as the study’s population, and the researcher gathered data by consulting secondary sources like textbooks, journals, class notes, etc. Tables and basic percentages were used to analyse the research findings. The following conclusions were drawn by the researcher: that… 1. They don’t have the proper office tools to do their jobs well and with integrity. 2. Do a tremendous amount of work for little pay. 3. Experiences a decline in social status as a result of society’s lack of acceptance. 4. In contrast to other professions, they are not frequently sent on training. 5. Working conditions are poor. Based on the information provided, suggestions are made to address the current difficulties faced by secretaries in model financial houses.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Background of the Study 

There is no way for a company to run smoothly without the secretaries who help keep everything organised. Since they are very skilled in that area, you can rest assured that your work will be completed quickly and efficiently. Secretaries are typically involved in any organization-wide need for paperwork, recordkeeping, and primarily written communication.

Despite the public’s widespread disapproval of secretaries, the conventional wisdom holds that any worker performing menial tasks like as typing is a secretary. This leads people to view secretaries with contempt. So, before we get into the difficulties they face, it is important to understand what a secretary is.

An office secretary is someone who handles incoming and outgoing communications, maintains records, and schedules meetings and appointments for other employees. This individual possesses an extensive understanding of secretarial duties in addition to being proficient in shorthand and typewriting.

According to the National Association of Secretaries in the US, a secretary is “an executive assistant who demonstrates mastery of office skills, who exercises initiative and judgement, and who makes decisions within the scope of assigned authority,” meaning that they can take on responsibilities independently, use their best judgement, and demonstrate a high level of office proficiency.

Typing, shorthand, operating photocopiers and duplicators, managing files, and answering the phone are all examples of office abilities. Additionally, it is considered a sign of genius for a secretary to have amassed sufficient information about business operations in general.

Simply put, a secretary is an office worker whose job it is to handle letters, maintain documents, and ensure that an executive’s day-to-day activities are organised according to different expectations. These considerations lead one to the conclusion that a secretary is an essential part of any business or government agency.

A secretary possesses exceptional qualities, such as the ability to preserve secrets and the ability to politely greet all visitors, callers, and clients, regardless of their status.

She has a deep respect for the organization’s objectives and works diligently with the boss and other employees to accomplish them in the workplace.

A good secretary in any field should be familiar with the area and its workings. The products, their production process, raw materials, machinery, and spare parts should all be familiar to her. She should also be familiar with the managers, their specific responsibilities, other members of management, and the organization’s policies.

A excellent secretary stays on top of the news by reading newspapers, listening to radio and television news, and paying attention while others are talking. This is so she can ensure the organisation runs well by receiving relevant information quickly.

The services of a competent secretary are essential to any business, and the qualities of a good secretary include tact, self-restraint, cleanliness, politeness, the capacity to work without complaining, strong memory, and nice speech.

Notwithstanding this, secretaries often report mistreatment of some kind from their bosses while on the clock. Regardless of the vital functions that secretaries perform in businesses. Many difficulties persist for secretaries in Nigeria, and this study will seek to alleviate some of those difficulties.

1.2 Statement Of The Problem

Unfortunately, secretarial services are not given the respect and esteem they deserve at financial institutions, despite the fact that they are now very essential in every industry. A common misconception is that the career is reserved for those who are never good at maths.

While secretaries are often misunderstood and misplaced, many managers end up putting them in their proper places because of this. By shedding light on the difficulties secretaries encounter on the job and drawing attention to the secretarial profession as a whole, this study hopes to help both financial institutions and secretaries better understand the interdependent roles they play.

1.3 The Purpose Of The Study

Discovering the difficulties faced by secretaries in fictitious financial institutions is the primary goal of this study. The study’s specific objectives are to:

Find out who the secretaries are for a certain group.

2. find out if secretaries are sent to training to develop their abilities.

3. determine if secretaries are being paid a fair wage.

4. in order to determine whether the secretaries of today can use the contemporary office machinery and equipment in our simulated workplaces.

5. to examine the secretaries’ relationships with their supervisors.

1.4 significance Of The Study

It is firmly believed that this study, when finished, will greatly benefit all segments of society, which is a necessary condition for any study to be conducted. One goal of this research is to help secretaries and their employers better understand the difficulties they face and the ways to motivate them to work more efficiently.

Managers will also benefit from knowing the proper protocol for their interactions with secretaries. If the secretaries follow the study’s recommendations, they will improve their own prospects, which is worth repeating. Knowing their challenges and how to avoid them, secretaries in Nigeria will find this an encouragement.
It will also serve as a framework for bettering the working circumstances, position, and methods of Nigeria’s secretaries.

But this study will show employers how to treat their secretaries, what kinds of workplaces are most conducive to secretarial and overall organisational productivity, and how to improve their business overall. Lastly, the research will give future researchers current data on secretarial issues to use in their own investigations.

1.5 The Scope of the Study

Using First Bank Plc, Enugu (main branch) as a case study, this research examines the difficulties encountered by secretaries working for model financial institutions. Due to unforeseen complications, the researcher was unable to finish the project by the due date. Lack of materials was the most significant of these issues.

Since very little has been written about this subject, the majority of the available resources were completely unrelated to the research topic, making it difficult to compile sufficient materials for the literature review.

Another issue that the researcher had was time. In this case, the researcher is preparing for her final exams, which means she has very little time to devote to gathering the necessary data and information for the study. Additionally, the researcher had financial limitations, which limited the scope of the variables examined.

1.6 Research Questions

The following research questions are the basis for this investigation;

How does a secretary function in hypothetical workplaces?

A question about the compensation of secretaries in fictitious financial institutions.

(3) How much do secretaries invest in continuing education to hone their craft?

(4) How well-versed are modern secretaries in the usage of model financial companies’ various pieces of office machinery?

(5) How does the secretary’s supervisor relate to her?