APPRAISAL ON THE CHALLENGES FACES BY MARRIED (FEMALE) SECRETARIES IN AN ORGANIZATION:
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Every profession faced a number of problems. Some of these problems are inherent in the profession while others arise as a result of the workers attitude. The secretarial profession is not an exception to these problems. This study has been designed to look into the problems encountered by married female’s secretaries.
According to National secretaries association of united states of America, a secretary is an assistant to executive, possessing mastery of office skills and ability to assumed responsibilities without direct supervisions, who displays initiatives, exercise judgment and make decisions within his/her scope of authority. From the above definitions, secretaries are indispensable in business organizations.
Unfortunately, the role of secretary especially in Nigeria is not quite understood by most of the people. It is therefore, follows that most of the problems confronting the secretarial profession are as a result of misconception by people. People seems don’t to understand what secretarial professional entails.
Consequently, the married female’s secretaries in profession always faced with numerous problems. The problems encountered by married female’s secretaries are numerous and they ranged from their homes, their job, and from peoples whom they work and transact business with. Other hurdles they faced are those bearing labels such as sexual harassment, job stress and office politics.
A secretary is that person in an organization who deals with the correspondences, keeps accounts, keeps records and in addition, arranges appointment for his/her executive. In the same vain, a secretary is require to have administrative ability to keep office running smoothly, insist to assign priorities and judgment to know when to orders in the boss name.
1.2 Statement of the Problems
Most employers discriminate against female secretaries who married, probably in ground that they tend to be unsteady on job (as a result of maternity leave) and therefore working are also discriminated against by employers.
In the area of assignment, marriage appear to be a constraint to females secretaries, most of the times, especially very important and large matters are not entrusted into the hands of the married females secretaries. This also because she will have integrate her official assignment with her home duties.
Many organizations nominate their employee for course of training in order that they might acquire more skills and a broader knowledge so as to become proficient in the practice. Unfortunately, the chance of married female secretaries to be mentioned for training is limited; firstly, her husband might not overly welcome the idea. He simply expects her to take adequate care of their home and to give more of her time to her job.
A secretary needs to have certain qualities which are vital for the success of any organization, be it private or public sector. The qualities include: Accuracy, intelligences, initiative, loyalty, punctuality, and good human relationship, tactfulness and well discipline. The above qualities are crucial for the success of any form of organization.
1.3 Aims and Objective of the Study
This study is aimed at finding out or solution to the challenges/ problem faced by married female’s secretaries in Gombe state civil service commission.
1 To identify the reason why employers give preferences to unmarried female secretaries than the married ones.
2 To determined the challenges faced by married females secretaries in an organization.
3 To know whether their official duties affect the well being of their families.
4 To find out whether the husbands of these secretaries interfere with their wives job.
5 To identify the problems faced between the females secretaries and their bosses at work place or on job duties.
1.4 Research Questions
1. Do married female’s secretaries have equal chance of recognition with their unmarriege female’s counterpart?
2. What challenge does married female secretaries faces at their work place?
3. Does the family affairs of married female secretaries affect their performance in an organization?
4. Of what effect do married female secretaries pose in neglecting their families to have a successful career?
5. How successful is the performance of unmarriege female secretaries, than married female Secretaries in an organization?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The investigation will no doubt help both married and unmarried female secretaries to tackles their problems successfully. It will also help to alley the fears of those involving to go into the secretarial profession. This study will also offer more areas that students may wish to make further research of the problems encountered by married female secretaries in Gombe state civil service commission.
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study is design to study the challenges faced by married female secretaries in Gombe state civil service commission. The problem of generating trend in the successful secretaries’ careers is very wide scope to cover. The research can not carry out the investigation on all the ministries in Gombe state metropolis, and therefore limited our work to select Gombe state civil service commission. In order to have a fair representation, this ministry has been randomly chosen: ministry of civil service commission.
The main problems in carrying out this work to all ministries in Gombe state, is due to the high cost of transport, cost of living etc. another factors worthy of mention is the difficulty that will be encounter in finding married female secretaries who are actually qualify for this study.
1.7 Definition of Terms
An appraisal – An assessment or estimation of worth, value, or quality of a person performance or nature.
Challenges –A new or difficult task that test someone ability and skills.
Secretary – A person employed in an office to deal with correspondence, typing, keeping records and making appointment and arrangement.
Organization- is a group of people who form a business, club, etc.
Together in order to achieve a certain or particular aims
Office – is a central place where all kind of clerical duties are done to coordinate and control the affairs of the whole organization
Civil service – is a body or department in the executive arm of government responsibility for execution of policies and programs of government.
Commission—is an official group of people who have been given responsibility to control something, or to find out about something usually for the government.
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 Literature Review
The word secretary has been defined variously by different scholars and employers, some of these definitions are: according to Onifade (2018) defined a Secretary as an assistant to an executive, possessing mastery of office skills and ability, assumes responsibilities without direct supervision, who displays initiative, exercise judgment, and make decision within the scope of his/her authority.
He further said, a secretary is a person who performs the myriad of daily chores that nibble away at an executive time.
‘A secretary as a principal administrative support position in an office increase effectiveness of programs staff by coordinating the paper flow of the office and carrying out the day-to-day administrative support activities require to accomplish the work of the organization.’’
According to Oxford dictionary of English. Defined secretary as ‘a person who works in an office, working for another person, dealing with letters, telephone calls, typing, and keeping records.’’
A secretary is person employed in an organization whose duty is to handle all legal matters of the organization. Apart from general office administration, the secretary is responsible for keeping the statutory books of the organization. These include: minute book and registers of members. He is also responsible for sending out notices of meetings, preparation of agenda, writing of minutes and ensuring that solutions made at such meeting are carried out.
According to Kamla-Raj (2019) defined secretary as ‘an assistant to an executive. He is trained to type and perform many office duties. He possesses personal and business attributes. He guards his/her professional ethics of confidentiality, superb appearance and absolute loyalty.’’
2.2 Role of A Secretary
The following are the main roles of a secretary:
(a) Dating proposals, reports and memorandum for the executive.
(b) Preparing and organizing files and correspondences, composing and out routine documents.
(c) Operating the telephones effectively and giving information to callers.
(d) Controlling the office staff and settling any dispute among them.
(e) Making traveling arrangement for the boss.
(f) Taking dictation in shorthand and typing out note.
(g) Operating any machine use in an office etc.
According to Indeed career coach (October 11, 2021) state that, ‘the role of a secretary in an organization, tasks related to administration, and are often important to keeping a business running effectively. So, having responsibility to complete tasks on time and in quality manners without much oversight is crucial.’’
2.3 Challenges Faced by Married Female secretaries
Secretaries. Most married women in the labor market face discrimination in this country and else where, discrimination in employment generally could be racial, ethnics, religions, sex, and mental status etc. most employers discriminate against female secretary who are married, probably in the ground that they tend to be unsteady on job (as a result of maternity leave etc.)
According to Merlyn (2017) said,’ many case of discrimination against married female secretaries, are base on the fact that they tend not to be punctual on their job/work.’’
2.3 Business/Personal Attributes.
The personal attribute of a secretary include: adaptability and self-confidence, while his/her business attribute include: secretarial skills and responsibility.
According to Lauria (2018) highlight the personal attribute of a secretary as a:
(1) Adaptability – approving or able to change or be changed in order to deal successfully with new situation.
(2) intuitiveness- this refers to the understanding of some tacks or method of doing something by using feelings rather than by considering the facts.
(3) Flexibility- able to change to suit new conditions or situations. so, flexibility help or contribute a lot in secretarial professions.
(4) tact- the ability to deal with difficult or embarrassing situations carefully and without doing or saying anything that will annoy or upset other people. This is one of the most personal attribute of a secretary in an organization.
Date: 2026-08-06 00:00:00.000000