Project Materials

 DEFINING THE PROBLEMS OF FEMALE SECRETARIES IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

ABSTRACT

Determining the challenges faced by female secretaries in corporate organisations is the primary goal of this research. No Emissions Per Emissions Period scenario. This discusses issues that female secretaries may face, such as sexism in the workplace, negative attitudes from husbands, dynamics between secretaries and bosses, and societal issues. issues with mental health and stagnant career prospects. The researcher found that female secretaries do not face discrimination in the workplace; however, their private lives are directly impacted by their official responsibilities, according to the data collected from questionnaires. In light of the foregoing, the researchers proposed the following changes. It is imperative that corporations and other business groups take a stand against gender and age bias in the workplace. It would be wise for the female secretaries to separate their personal and professional lives.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Background of the Study 

According to the National Secretary International Association, a secretary is an executive assistant who is highly competent, shows initiative and judgement, can work independently, and makes decisions within their authority.

Secretaries and stenographers are office professionals whose work mostly relies on their ability to take dictation using shorthand and type it up. More over three million people, or one out of every six clerical workers, are employed as secretaries.

In the secretarial and stenographic fields, women make up over 98% (New Age Encyclopaedia vol. 13). Upon arrival of the white men, sometimes known as Colonial Masters, the secretarial profession spread across Nigeria. It was necessary for the white men to speak with the black people they encountered in Africa, therefore they sought out and created interpreters. They were accompanied by native speakers of the places they went.

Thanks to this, the two sides are able to have a conversation. The white males used this to train clerks, who were subsequently promoted to the position of secretary when offices were established, but they were given relatively little responsibility.

In the past, there were very few secretaries, but that all changed when Nigeria gained its independence and native-born Nigerians began to supplant the white men who had previously held the position.

The very definition of the word “secretary” is confidential. The secretary’s ability to discreetly maintain government secrets is paramount. Nowadays, most people assume that secretarial work is more suited to women, while males tend to pursue other fields. Over time, there will be more women than men remaining in the field.

This means that women make up nearly all of the secretarial and stenographic workforce (New Age Encyclopaedia, vol. 13, p. 359). As unfortunate as it is, most people, particularly in Nigeria, understand what a secretary does.

Thus, it follows that the majority of issues affecting secretaries originated from people’s misunderstandings. They appear to have no idea what a secretarial job is all about.

As a result, female secretaries in this field always encounter a multitude of challenges. Issues stemming from their jobs, coworkers, social suspicions, sexual harassment by male bosses, stress on the job, office politics, underrecognition in society as a whole, and even initiation by male coworkers who appear to be siding with the bosses against women are all part of the picture.

Nevertheless, married female secretaries are required to demonstrate maturity, dependability, and a feeling of responsibility when carrying out their duties.

Not only that, but some married female secretaries experience miscarriage as a result of the stress they endure on the job. Secretaries, as is well known, can keep themselves occupied for the better part of a day.

This can be especially challenging for mothers-to-be who are expecting a child, as they may find themselves rushing from one office to another, dealing with bosses, phone calls, and other official workers. Little do they know, their unborn child may start to cry out, and if luck is not on their side, they may lose the baby.

About 40% of miscarriages are caused by stress, according to Asogwu (1993). Just as an executive needs administrative prowess to keep an office running efficiently, a secretary needs insight into priorities to set them and judgement to know when to issue orders on her boss’s behalf.

By answering the phone and sorting mail, she saves the boos time. Having a secretary who has taken secretarial classes and mastered powerful can be an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the situation. Secretaries have the power to save or eliminate their superiors. Consequently,.

The word processor’s passionate, trustworthy, and loyal assistant is seen as an extension of her boss. By loving, honouring, and obeying her employer, she frees him from the monotony of daily existence and sets the stage for his separation from ordinary trials.

She mediates her boss’s relationship with the outside world and acts as a gatekeeper, keeping anyone who would bother him or pry into his personal life at arm’s length.

A secretary is similar to an employee in that they work side by side with their boss. It is her responsibility to spare the employer a lot of tedious and intricate work. You can put yourself in his shoes, figure out what he wants, and follow his lead—even if you’re wrong most of the time.

For the most part, she should dress conservatively, in a way that is both simple and neat. No matter who is calling or visiting the office, the secretary is always the focal point. Without fail, she rescues the management and lays the groundwork for the boss to advance.

Being intimately involved in decision-making, possessing sensitive information, and having the authority to represent one’s boss are the primary sources of stress in this position. Copying typed words, producing official documents like letters and new reports, clearing and maintaining the word processor, and keeping the office generally organised are all duties that fall on a person’s shoulders after they have completed training as a secretary or word processor.

1.2. Statement Of The Problem

Being successful at anything is everyone’s lifelong goal. People in this field hope to be successful, but women in this field often have problems and aren’t happy about it because of it. Some of the challenges faced by women in this field are listed below.

1. Mistrust between the social

2. Bias in the workplace

3. Boss-on sexual harassment

4. Coworkers’ insinuations

5, juggling duties at home and the office.

AIM OF THE RESEARCH

Here are the goals of the research:

1. Determine what a National Electric Power Authority secretary does

2. To learn whether married female secretaries in NEPA have problems with interference from their husbands.

3. Determine if married female secretaries in NEPA are unable to devote enough time to their families due to their official responsibilities.

4. To find out whether unmarried female secretaries at NEPA have more possibilities of advancement on the workplace than their married counterparts.

5. To find out whether female secretaries at NEPA reveal official secrets.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

In order to better understand the difficulties encountered by female secretaries in the course of their work, this study will focus on NEPA and the surrounding areas.

The significance of the Research

Without a doubt, the study will assist female secretaries, married or single, in efficiently addressing their challenges. The state’s working conditions and attitudes towards female secretaries can be improved with its help.

Those who are nervous about entering the secretarial profession will find this helpful as well. Additional avenues for students to explore in their pursuit of knowledge about the challenges faced by female secretaries in different organisations will be uncovered by this study.

Also, the study will show businesses how to handle female secretaries, what kind of workplace settings are most conducive to productivity, and how to improve overall organisational performance. Lastly, it will greatly enhance the overall functioning of the organisation and open up additional opportunities for women’s empowerment.

It is our hope that this study will also increase the number of female secretaries who are able to grow in their careers. Additionally, the study will shed light on how people see female secretaries, which will help reduce the threat and bring about improvements in the unfair treatment secretaries face in certain organisations.

Research Questions

References were made to the following lines of inquiry.

1. Is the promotion potential for female secretaries in NEPA on par with that of male secretaries?

2. Does your company’s employment policy take gender into account?

3. Is there a perception that female secretaries in NEPA are beneath their male colleagues?

4. Is it common for female secretaries to reveal company secrets?

5. Does a female secretary’s personal life in NEPA get impacted by her job, whether she is married or single?