CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study.
The office is changing continuously and at ever increasing rate. The technological breakthrough in offices posed a big challenge to many processions, which the secretarial profession is no exception. The duties of secretaries have always been very delicate.
In time past, secretaries worked with machines which made their work in office boring and monotonous but today, it is not so.
A secretary according to Hornby (1974) is “employee in office, who deals with correspondence, keeps records, makes arrangement and appointments for a particular member of the staff. He/she is one who combines the mastery skills of shorthand and typewriting and with a sound knowledge.
Onwuka (1995) states that secretary is a person whose job is to handle records letters etc for another person in an office, a person in a club or other organization who is in charge of keeping letters an records.
Akpan (2005) also defined secretary as an officer of state who superintends a government administrative department. Secretaries have been defined by the national association as an executive assistance who possess a mastery of office skills, that is why the roles of secretaries in organization can never be overlooked. A commercial bank is a financial institution that deposits and insuring loans.
According to Anyaele (1990) commercial banks are institution set up purposely for safekeeping of money, valuable goods and documents like wills and others; he also said that the existence of banks has been a big boosts to business act writes.
Enugu state is the capital of Enugu in Nigeria. Enugu usually referred to as Enugu state to distinguish it from the city of Enugu, is also a state in south-eastern Nigeria. Its capital is Enugu from which the state created in (1991) from which the state derives its name.
The main duties of secretaries in commercial banks may include to issue notice and agenda of board meetings to every director of the bank, deals with all correspondence between the bank and the shareholders, filling of various document s and returns as required under the provision of the banks law, make arrangement for the payment of the divided within prescribed period as provided under the payment of the divided within prescribed period as provided under the provision of the bank law record the minutes of the directors. Irrespective of these responsibilities the secretaries are still faced with great challenges in the commercial banks which can causes business to show down, due to the shift of commercial banks technology or production low salaries paid by the management and also lack of recognition of the secretaries and some of these secretaries are not use top some of the modern technology machines.
1.2 Statement of Problem
We are in a technological era, a time in which new innovation determine both the method of operation and the functions performed by secretaries, this has resulted in not providing the adequate equipments which is required by secretaries to handle their duties effectively, so many secretaries don’t update their knowledge using modern equipments.
Due to low salaries secretaries are not motivated to work in commercial banks even when some of the secretaries decodes to work they stay in a particular position for so long and even when appraisal are given they are usually not recognized.
1.3 Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study was to determine the challenges of secretaries working in commercial banks in Enugu urban, Enugu State specifically the study attempted to:
1. Identify the challenges of jobs performance in commercial banks in Enugu urban, Enugu state.
2. Find out further challenges of secretaries working in commercial banks.
1.4 Research Questions
This study sought to answer the following research questions:
1. What are the challenges facing the secretaries in commercial banks?
2. What are the further challenges encountered by secretaries working in commercial banks?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The result of this study would be useful to secretaries, bank managers, student, further researchers and groups in commercial banks in Enugu urban, Enugu state and even the country at large.
To the secretaries, the findings of this study would expose them to the nature of challenges and how it could improve the performance of the secretaries in their work place (Bank) it would also equip the secretaries to meet up with the current dynamics in the office.
To bank managers, the findings of this study would also equip them with necessary information on the best practice of challenges of secretaries’ performance in the present day on commercial banks environment or workplace which they would utilize to better the relationship with secretaries and improve performance.
Finally, students and further searcher would find the study useful for further academic activities.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study focused mainly on the challenges of secretaries working in commercial banks in Enugu urban, Enugu state.
1.7 Definition of Term
The following are definition of terms used in the study
Secretaries: A secretary is a person who demonstrates ability to assume responsibilities without direct supervision
Commercial Banks: Commercial banks is the group of individual who come together in order to achieve an objective or aims
Enugu State: Enugu State is the capital of’ Enugu state to distinguish it from the city of Enugu is also a state in south-eastern Nigeria; its capital is Enugu from which the state was created.
Challenges: Challenges is something new and difficult which requires great effort and determination to solve critical problems in an organization.
SHARE THIS PAGE!