Employer Perception of the HND Secretarial Graduates in Selected Companies in Enugu Urban Secretarial Administration

Employer Perception of the HND Secretarial Graduates in Selected Companies in Enugu Urban Secretarial Administration

Chapter One

PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of the study

To find out how employers of labour perceive the HND secretarial graduates.
to find out the effects of these treatment by employers of labour on HND secretarial graduates
to identify other employers unfriendly attitude towards graduates of secretarial studies.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

In order to have a good theoretical foundation for this study, related literature was reviewed by examining the views expressed by eminent authors. The review will cover these areas:

The secretarial graduate
Origin of secretarial profession
The roles of a secretary
Employer’s perception of HND secretarial graduates.
Summary of related literature

THE SECRETARIAL GRADUATE

A secretarial graduate is defined according to Hornby, (1974) as an employee in an office who deals with correspondence, keeps office records, makes arrangement and appointments for a particular member of staff.

Anaram (1983) an American secretary Association member defined a secretary as an assistance to an executive, possessing mastery of office skills and ability to assume responsibilities without driect supervision, who displays initiative, exercises judgement and makes decisions within the scope of her authority.

Harding (1988) stated that a secretary is one who is able to use initiative and fact, in handling situations, she acts on behalf of the boss in his absence and is equally able to handle administrative issues.

In addition to this, Harding (1988) elaborated that just as people have their own idea of an office, so too do they have their own perception of a secretary. The word “HND secretarial graduate” means all things to all people and certainly many of those work in offices chose to shelter beneath the secretarial umbrella. In some peoples mind a secretarial graduate will simple be someone who works in an office, answering telephone and doing the typing work.

At the other end of the spectrum, a HND secretarial graduate may be seen as someone holding a very responsible position within an organization, who provides a full range of management support which calls upon a variety of skills and abilities that would certainly not be pre-requisites to office study generally.

Edward (1974) in his book, asserted that a good secretary must be a wizard in short-hand and above average typist and good grammarian.

Harding (1988) again contributed as follows by laying emphasis on the traditional secretarial roles, which are gradually changing the secretaries given the support of information technology, are able to exercise more of their administrative and support function which after all, is what secretarial work is all about. Many people find that their career are now encompassing a wide range of more administrative type tasks, that their work is becoming more interesting and challenging with their roles extending into management. The word secretary is familiar amongst mong employers but, has multi-dmensional meaning to different people because of their peculiar nature, individual circumstances and a course, areas/ degree of training / qualifications the career HND secretarial graduates enjoy to acquire. Hence, in 1887, lord Esher defined a secretary as “a mere servant” whose position was to do as she was told, and that no person could assume that she had any authority to present anything at all, nor could any one assume that any statement made by her necessarily to be accepted as trustworthy without further enquing.

In contrast to Lord Esher’s (1887) Hannel et al (1974) clearly gave a vivid definition of whom a secretary is, in fact, and not what she had assumed to be. Hence, Hannel et al (1974) a secretary is mastery of an office skill, who demonstrates the ability to assume responsibility without direct supervision, who exercises initiative authority. From this definition, it becomes necessary to know who a secretary is and what she is up t in an organization or company where she is employed. She is the image, brain and memory” of a company and also generates good human relations in working with employers in the company. She is also the person who is concerned with the presentation, preparation and transmission of all types of communication with a company as well as the confectionary secretarial duties (Obodo 1990).

As a pre-requisite for successful accomplishment of the secretarial mission, that is, administration and evangelism, the agencies of secretarial services were used.

John, Robert, Gregg et al (1968) in their book “Applied secretarial in Business World and Professional Fields” is an essential work in diversified daily activities of the world’s enterprise. Her contributions are many sided and ranges from handling procedure to implantation management decisions. “she is in every sense an asset”.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

For the purpose of this study, the researcher carried out this investigation in three (3) companies. They include:

First Bank Plc
Nigerian Telecommunication Plc
Afribank Plc

This chapter deals with the procedures / methodology utilized in this study. It is as follows:

research design
area of the study
population of the study
smaple and smapling procedures
instrument for data collection
validation of the research instrument
reliability of the research instrument
method for data collection
method of data analysis

RESEARCH DESIGN

In the study, the researcher made use of survey method, that is the method of collecting information from the respondents though questionnaires.

The researcher also made use of information got from textbooks.

AREA OF THE STUDY

The area of study covered were, first bank plc

Nigerian Telecommunication, Afribank Plc; making use of only secretaries and manages from these companies in Enugu urban.

POPULATION OF THE STUDY

The populations for the study was made up of two (2) commercial banks and Nigerian Telecommunication all in Enugu urban. The population to be surveyed are made up of manages, directors and secretaries. The population consist of 50 secretaries and 60 managers from the selected companies. The total population is therefore, 110.

Table one: population distribution

Establishment no of manages no of secretaries total

First bank plc 25 20 45

Nigerian

Telecommunication 20 20 40

Afric bank Plc 15 10 25

Total 60 50 110

SAMPLE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE

The researcher made use of census survey method in this study. The number of 50 secretaries and 60 managers and Directors were survey making it a total of 110. respondent of the three selected companies.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND RESULTS

In order to find out the employers’ perception of the HND secretarial graduate, two sets of research questions was drawn up and distributed to the population (Mangers and secretaries) of the selected companies.

A total of 60 questionnaires were distributed to the managers; and all were retuned making a representation of 100%.

Also a total of 50 questionnaires were distributed to the secretaries and all were returned making a representation of 1005.

From the analysis below it was discovered that the responses were encouraging. This goes to show that the respondents were interested in the study and were able to contribute to the success of the study.

Analysis of Data from managers.

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION, IMPLICATION, RECOMMENDATIONS

The research questions put forward will now be discussed in relation to responses given by respondents to show how they were answered.

From the findings, it was discovered on table one that the total number of 110 questionnaires were distributed and all were responded to and collected. This shows that the response was 100% good.

Table two shows that the questionnaires, were distributed to 60 employers and 50 secretaries respectively.

From table three, it shows that a number of 25 (41.67%) of the employers were from First Bank PLc, 20(33.33%) employers were from Nigerian Telecommunication Plc while 15(25%) employers were from Africbank Plc.

Table four, shows that 40(66.67%) of the respondents said that HND secretarial graduates are not qualified for employment table five which asked if they are not what disqualifies them. It shows that 15(25%) said that some HND secretarial graduates are not able to type and write shorthand. 20(33.33%) reveals that acquisition of skill does not really make a secretary. An interview carried out shows that personal qualities possessed by HND secretarial graduates, sense of good judgment, good appearance, decision making and ability to communicate make a clear distinction between the trained secretary and copy typist. This reveals that employers wants the HND secretarial graduates to possess personal qualities especially in the area of communication rather than mere acquisition of skill. 25(41.67%) said that HND secretarial graduates are not computer literates.

Table six shows that 20(33.33%) said that HND secretarial graduates are indispensable while 40(66.67%) said they are not. This shows that employers of labour regarded secretarial as dispensable assistants.

From table seven, it was revealed the employers method of selecting secretaries. It was cleared from the table that 60(100%) of the employers select secretaries through interview and selection test.

Table eight shows that 15(25%) regarded secretaries as being trained while 45(75%) regarded them as untrained secretaries.

Table nine shows that 30(50%) employers said that HND secretarial graduates are gossips and these who said that they are not are equally 30(50%).

Table ten shows that 20(33.33%) regarded secretarial graduates as executive assistant only. 15(25%) regarded them as errand goers while 25(41.67%) regarded them as shorthand typists. This reveals the unfriendly attitude of employers towards secretaries by calling different names.

Table eleven shows that 50(83.33%) respondents said that HND holders are subordinated because it is in the civil service commission rule while 10(16.67%) stated that it was because it took them more years to acquire Masters degree.

Table twelve shows that 60(100%) of the employers wants the HND secretarial graduates, to know shorthand and typewriting, communication skill, office administration and management, human relations and computer knowledge before they can be qualified for employment 50 as to stop roming about the street.

On the part of secretaries, tamale one shows that 20(40%) of the secretaries were from first Bank Plc, 20(40%) from Nigerian Telecommunication and 10(20%) were from Afribank Plc.

Table two shows that 50(100%) secretaries made it clear that secretaries do other course apart from shorthand and typewriting.

From table three it was observed that 40(80%) of the secretaries said that they are abused by people because of their choice of course while 10(20%) said that they are not abused.

Table four further said that name calling by employer is true. 15(30%) said they are called shorthand typists 5(10%) said that they are called errand goers while 30(60%) said that they are called executive assistants.

Table six shows that 30(60%) said that their employers treat them well while 20(40%) said that they are not treated well.

CONCLUSION

From the findings, the researcher includes that employers perception of the HND secretarial graduates were unfavourable. The perception give rise to given them nicknames and abusing them.

Perception is still the way things or people are seen, understood or regarded. Not all the HND secretarial graduates are qualified. But because of the majority that perform well and even above average, the HND secretarial graduates should always be employed like other professions.

The attitude of employers of labour towards HND secretarial graduates goes to show that they neglect the profession not knowing what it takes to train a HND secretarial graduate.

Employers of labour also thought that shorthand and typewriting are the only skill a secretary possessed. It is now observed from secretaries that they also acquire other skills like, psychology, managerial skills communication skills and other skills.

All these constitute a critical component of a secretary’s professional kit. Employers should therefore, bear HND secretarial graduates in mind when designing personnel specification and selection test for their secretaries.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESULTS

If employers should continue with not short listing the HND holders, it means they are encouraging them to do evil things like robbery.
If employers do not put to a stop the abuses and unfair attitudes towards the HND secretarial graduates, those in the profession may start having double mind. It will also make them to work with fear.
if employers should continue with using interview as a tool for selection, the wrong ones might get employed.

RECOMMENDATION

Based on the findings and conclusion, the following recommendations are hereby made:

Employers should stop abusing their secretaries in order to raise their morale in their work places. This is because everybody has choice of course and specialization.
in order to perform secretarial functions effectively, a HND secretarial graduates should have sufficient knowledge of typewriting and shorthand, principles of accounts, business law, law and procedure of meetings, personnel management, office administration, human relations, a good command of English language and knowledge of computer knowledge of all these would ensure professional growth of secretaries to make effective contributions to an organization.
the best instruments for selection of secretaries should be a combination of interview with aptitude test. The test should be designed to find out whether a fresh secretary seeking for employment possesses the above skills. Questions during the interview should be directed in accordance with the above subjects.
emphasis should not be placed on the possession of shorthand and typewriting for selection of secretaries. Evidence from research and survey carried out on the functions of a secretary show that possession of those two skills cannot predict an efficient secretary. Employers should note the professional kit of secretary and stop given them nicknames and base their selection on the acquisition of these skills.
polytechnics institutions should include computer as one of their key course so that they would not face the embarrassment of being computer illiterate and in employed.

These recommendation should form part of what employers should try to avoid on the HND secretarial graduates.

SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Attitude of employers towards secretaries.
appraisal of the effectiveness of secretarial graduates
effective use of secretarial services: the problem solutions and implications for secretarial programme.
expectations of secretaries of their employers in the office.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In the course of this research work there are some problems encountered they are:

Financial constraints: there is lack of finance to research fully the way employers of labour in Enugu urban see and understand the HND secretarial graduates.
Time constraints: there was lack of time because the semester was short and there was no much time to study in detail the employers perception of the HND secretarial graduate, I decided to make my study short.
this research work was also interrupted by sickness which did not permit me to carry it out full.
another problem encountered also was that it was combined with lectures and examinations which hindered much concentration.

REFERENCES

Anderson, et al (1970): The Administrative Secretary, U.S.A, McGraw Hill Book Company.
Aromolaram, E.A (1997): An Analysis of Management secretarial Practice in a competitive Economy, Business Education focus Vol. 1 No 1, Lagos.
Horduberg J.E (1973) Perception New Jersey Prentice, Hill Inc. Eagle Wood Cliffs. 2^nd Edition.
Hornby A.G et al (1974): Qxford Advanced Learners Dictionary of current English, London Oxford Publication.
Nwakanobi E.I.(1992): The place of the Modern Secretary in Management, the Link National Association of Secretarial students Vol.1 No.1.
Odiagbe J.M (1992), Management and the Changing roles of secretaries, Business Education Focus, Vol. 1 No.1, Lagos Business Focus Publication
Osibo V.O (1992). Executive secretarial Procedure U.S.A, McGraw Hill Book Company.

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