Contribution Of Secretaries To Wards The Achievement Of Organizational Goals

INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:
The role of efficient secretaries in the National Economic Development cannot be over emphasizes bearing in mind that secretaries are the image makers of every organization. Secretaries who have acquired the basic educational training coupled with other personal attributes have a lot of channels of attaining the highest level possible in the management of organizations.
The work of secretaries in an organization are very vital and there is no way an organization can function well without their aid, the best production of better work is assumes since they are well trained in that field.
Whenever paper work, records and mostly written communication are needed in an organization one secretaries are likely to be involved.
In as much as secretaries have been undermined by the general public in many ways, their general conception is usually that any employee who sits behind a typewriter and does other forms of secretarial jobs is a secretary thereby regarding them as typists or mere servants.
It is therefore, pertinent to start by knowing who the secretaries are, before going to their immense contribution towards the national economic development with special emphasis on power Holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Enugu District.
A secretary according to Hornby (1974) is “an employee in an office, who deals with correspondence, keeps records, makes arrangement and appointment 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 of secretarial duties.
Secretaries have been defined by the national association and secretaries in united state of America as an “Executive assistant who possess a mastery of office skills, who demonstrates ability to assume responsibilities without direct supervision, who exercises initiative and judgment, and who makes decision with the scope of assigned authority.
Office skill include, typewriting, short hand, ability to operate photocopy machines, duplicating machines etc.
Secretaries are the pictures, the models and the area of concentration for the public due to the duties they discharge for the organization they keep and maintain confidential and secret files of the organization and prepare the financial report, handling and imposes account and supervise subordinates to ensure full implementation of the policies of the organization.
From the above definitions, secretaries must have gotten all one skills associated with the office and cannot leave responsibilities even though they are not supervised, should work with his initiative and take decision under his assigned authority.
In other words, secretaries are important officers in any organization. Their contributions and effectiveness can either boost or tarnish the image of nay organization.
The impression secretaries crate influence public attitude towards the organization just as accountants, engineers and other professionals have contributed towards the achievements of one national economic objectives secretaries have also contributed immensely in different angles in projecting the image of the organization to the outside world.
If the public impression portrays one organization in a shabby way, the secretaries help to uplift the image of the organization. The way secretaries receive visitors, their politeness and the responsible toots of organization.
Inspite of al these roles of secretaries, they have been misplaced and neglected to the background. But today we have modern secretaries who now hold managerial and decision making position in the organization and are the office automation is quick developing. The former referred as typist undergoes formal training which enable him handle more extensive duties and responsibilities on the organization.
The success or failure of some years past professionals simply because they are misunderstood by their bosses. But all these have changed now because they are very vital towards the achievement of the national objectives. And also present day executives depends on their secretaries for the smooth and efficient handling of the days activities.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS:
Over the years, there has been serious misconception about secretaries by the public and others who are not in the profession. Some look down upon them as secretaries assistant II (typist and stenographers) who wait and work according to the wishes of the bosses. Others see them as subordinate who cannot actually act even when there is need for them to do so unless with authority from her superior. According to Jideofor (1999) “some Nigerians do not accord secretaries the respect due to them because they strongly believe that secretaries are inconsequential and unproductive thereby do not in any way contribute towards the national economic development.
Secretaries are misunderstood, misplaced and neglected to the background by many bosses and as a result fail to placed them in their right position.
Secretaries who are the life wire of every organization have been under rated by so many people.
This research work in aimed at discussing fully the contributions of secretaries towards the national economic development and some constraints in performance of their job such as lack of adequate equipment, poor remuneration, inadequate training on the job and poor human relation among secretaries, bosses and lack of encouragement by executives.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:
The purpose of this study is to actually investigate the role of secretaries in the achievement of organizational goals. It could also identify who the secretaries are and to what extent they are involved in the routine of organization and also to find out if they are properly remunerated for the big job they perform and find out it they actually lack adequate equipment that will help then perform their jobs creditably.
Finally, the purpose is to find out what kind of relationship exist among the secretaries, bosses and colleagues and why such relationship exist.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:
The study will enable the management of business organization in the country to re-evaluate their misconception of secretaries and also enhance the secretaries performance in the organization.
Nevertheless, an academic reason is also attached to this study which is the contribution of secretaries towards the national development (a case study of PHCN, Enugu District). The academic lessons is to provide he contributions of secretaries so as to help the aspiring secretaries to know what is expected of them and educational background they need to attain before qualifying as secretaries.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
The study is undertaken to provide answers to the following research questions.
i. What are the problems militating against the performance of secretaries job?
ii. To what extent have secretaries contributed to the achievement of the organizational goals and national goals in general?
iii. To what extent does the relationship which exist among the secretaries, busses and colleague lead to national development.
iv. How and to what extent are the necessary office equipments provided?
v. Do secretaries receive enough remuneration and to what extent does the management encourage their self development?

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
This study is restricted to the power Holding company of Nigeria, Enugu district office only because of time and money constraints which was why the research was not carried out in other power. Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Offices.