ABSTRACT

    This project was aimed at exploring the factors affecting the productivity of secretaries in the civil service of the Imo. The research question and the hypothesis were raised in these regard while the first research question with this hypothesis sought to find out the factors on what extend are the secretaries in Imo state civil service relate to punctuality to work. The primary and secondary method of data collection and the questionnaire were used. Data collected through this means were analyzed with the simple percentage method and the mean score method of analysis in the end it was discovered that some problems like inadequate working equipment, not punctual at work most of the time, inadequate illumination, not well trained/retrained etc have continued to be devil in the productivity of secretaries. Based on these findings, conclusion and recommendation were made.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCDTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

      Secretary ship as a cares can be traced from two angles in Nigeria. Ahukannah and Ugochi (2009). Before independence in 1960, secret Arial Education was not available in Nigeria. Secretarial position was occupied by English men and women. This situation preferred due to the poor level of education in Nigeria which made it impossible for many Nigerian to be capable of being trained as confidential secretaries. Although few who were found capable, here no training facilities around to help in training them in Nigeria and they were been seat to a pitman college in London to be trained.

       Between 1960-1970 according to Ahukannah and Ugoji (2009), there were numerous secretarial opportunities which anybody who could type whether educated or not get employed as a typist and further improvement was witnessed in secretarial sector between 1967-1970. Ahukannah and Ugoji (2009). The educational sector responded by monitoring certificate and diploma courses in sectarian studies, and then the civil service as well as the industries began to accept residential course certificates of the education all institution as an alternative to the single subject examination certificate of the total society of Arts and pitman examination institution London.

      Secretary according to Hyanda (1990) refers to that employee who performs the functions the functions of organizing and recording of the proceeding of a meeting, skilled in shorthand and type writing and mainly responsible to an executive.

       Ahukannah (2011), whatever this secretary rank is whether employed in public or private sector will be expected to perform most of the general duties may include to read and sort mails, supervise other employee and act as an office manager, compose letters and help prepare records, make appointments for the boss and keeps records of them, prepare agenda and notice of meeting and dispatch some of them to the members.

          Ahukannah and Ekelegbu (2011). Secretary is important because she is the alter ego and manager of her boss. She is a very close and ultimate office associate to the boss. The secretary screens the boss visitors and telephone calls and feed him with information. The secretary manages the department of which the secretary is the director while the boss is away. The secretary is in looking after the house; therefore, the secretary is important in the civil service because she is the house keeper so long as there is no alternative to and no substitute for the secretary so she remains perfect one of the most important employee in any firm.

        According to Ahukannah and Ugoji (2009), human relation is the relationship which subsists among people employed and working in an organization is been delimited to and concern the interpersonal relationship existing among employee of firm.

      Secretaries are required to perform optimally because their office is the wheel that drives the organization but secretarial performance may be impeded due to the insufficiency or total absence of certain factors such factors may include among others inadequate preparation for the job, lack of motivation, poor social and physical environment, domestic problem.

      Some studies had been done in the past to determine the performance of secretaries in the civil service. These studies include: Iyanda, okakunle [1990], Arukwe o.n [2002].

Purpose of the study

      The purpose of the study was to identify the factors that affect the productivity of secretaries in the civil service of Imo state especially as they relate for the following conditions.

1)   Personal attributes necessary for high secretarial productivity

2)   Business attributes necessary for high secretarial productivity such as

1.    possession of requisite technical skill

2.    initiative and resource fullness

3.    punctuality to work

4.    relationship with colleagues

5.    physical environment such as well furnished office with correct ventilation, well equipped office with modern office equipment

6.    motivation secretarial work force

7.    continuing education conditions highlighted by Ugoji (2009)

Research Questions

       The following research question was formulated for the study:

1)    How would secretaries rate their colleagues in terms of personal attributes needed for higher productivity?

2)    To what extend are secretarial offices in Imo state civil service are well equipped with modern ICT gadgets?

3)    How would secretaries rate their colleagues in terms of business attributes needed for high productivity?

4)    To what extend are secretarial offices in Imo state civil service are well furnished?

5)    How cordial are the secretaries relationship with colleagues in Imo state civil service?

6)    To what extend are the secretaries to possess the request technical skill?

7)    To what extend are the secretaries in Imo state civil service relate to punctuality to work?

Statement of the Study

         Secretaries today are office system technology managers who are expected to contribute to the profitable organization. Therefore secretaries required exhibiting the high level of personal and business attributes to enhance the productivity. They may possess personal and business attribute to obtain in empirical data on those factors that could enhance the productivity of secretaries implied in Imo state civil service.

Significance of the study

        This study would provide additional information to future researcher as well as secretaries generally and their employers on the factors that affect secretary productivity in the civil service.

       The civil service varies from state to state in terms of administration and therefore different state service could manifest different problem.

        This study will provide information’s on factors that affect the productivity of secretaries in a particular reference to the civil service of Imo state.

          This study will also provide empirical data which could exist future researcher to better their research

Delimitation

This study was restricted to the civil service of Imo state covering the Nigeria national petroleum corporation, water board Imo state transportation [ITC]

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

         This project work without doubt has some constants. The major limitation are the time needed to carry out this study and the problem of procuring direct material needed for this work include finance and getting valid response from respondents.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

 FACTORS- as used in the topic is the independent variable which has been operational zed in the purpose of the study and research question.

PRODUCTIVITY- as used in the topic means secretarial productivity and output in office work.

SECRETARY- is that employee who performs the functions of organizing and recording of the proceeding of a meeting, skilled in shorthand and type writing and mainly responsible to an executive.

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