PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SECRETARIES

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SECRETARIES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The score of today’s business is seriously widening and becoming dynamic challenging sophisticated and highly competitive for any establishment to cope with the demanding nature of modern business and eventually accomplish its set objectives, it must practice art of scientific management. This means that managers of these business establishments must have insight or vision which will enable them plan and work towards achieving its economic objectives using all available resources effectively or efficiently.

The managers accomplishment of these objectives is a demanding task. The manager will require the services of someone who will help him to achieve or accomplish this great task which is the services of a secretary.

According to Elendu, O. (2001) it is necessary to refer to definition given earlier and adopted by the national – Secretaries Association Missouri, USA which says that the secretary is an assistant to an executive, possessing mastery of office skills and ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who displays initiative, exercises judgment, and makes decision within the scope of her authority.

According to Okolo (2009) a secretary is a person who directly assists the chairman in the conduct of the meeting. The secretary is in charge of the secretariat and is responsible for all the secretariat functions of the meeting.

According to White Head (1979) a secretary is one who must act as the alter ego of the chief executive. The secretary must be able to render such services as desired by the chief executive and also assist him to realize the organizational goals based on competence and efficiency.

The secretary plays essential role in any establishment/office. This means that a secretary must be a person of high responsibility and even qualified by training experience and temperament to perform these essential duties.

A secretary being able to carry out his/her duties perfectly, physical working condition is mandatory to provide. It is so because these help to make secretaries comfortable. Physical working condition according to Elendu O. (2000: 1.8) said that it is not enough for an office to be properly located and laid out. It is also highly necessary to ensure that good physical condition are provided and at the same time will maintained, while Obasi Oko (1994: 950) enumerated them as orientation of the building, cleanliness of the office furniture and fittings. Physical working conditions and those things which is in an office that makes a worker to work for a long time without getting distracted and tired. The provision of adequate, attractive and conducive physical working conditions in the offices is of utmost importance. The manager should try to make the working condition comfortable and attractive.

PHYSICAL WORKING CONDITIONS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SECRETARIES