Essentialities Of Good Human Relations To The Effective Performance Of Secretarial Functions

Project and Seminar Material for Office Technology and Management OTM

Abstract

This project points out the important and necessity of good human relations aimed at improving secretarial functions in an organization. Essentialities of Good Human Relations itself are a reflection of effectiveness and efficiency of the secretary. The success and growth of an organization is based among other competing factors on the effectiveness of the secretary applying good human relations with his or her co-workers and outsiders. The following are outlines treated in the study: What is the implication and meaning of Essential human relations and computerization? The secretary function. Applying essential human relations to secretarial functions. Qualities of a secretary. Essential human relation in offices. Importance of essential human relations in offices. Cardinal principles of essential human relation

Chapter One

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The motive of the research that leads to this topic is to look into and study the good human relations of a secretary to the enlistment of an organization. It will be helpful for the growth of an organization if the issue of good human relations development is allowed and likewise the organizations staff and customers will be equally encouraged and treated in the same manner. Processing good human relations with direct experience will lead to effective performance of secretaries in organizations. The improved performance of any organization, be it the government or private, depends on how well its members are trained i.e. How the secretaries relate with the management team, co-staffers and the customers. Good human relations of a secretary in an organization lead to general improvement in any section in an organization because by paying positive attention to the boss, it can lead to promotion of the secretary.

Like everything human, human relations may be an art, a science, a fiction, but most of all, they are an inescapable reality. If they are effective and help the secretary to fill well her calling, human relations are good; if they block the secretary’s work, they are evil. Whether good or evil, the secretary cannot avoid them; she is caught within their web for good or for worse. Let us ask, then, what are some of the main principles that generate good human relations so that v/e may try them experimentally. First, the principle of tensional equilibrium. I consider this one the nucleus of human relations, since it constitutes de foundation of that elusive something called personality; and human relations may be defined as interpersonal. Tensional equilibrium means a distribution of weights or forces between the two poles of a straight line, as in a lever; and personality is a structure or pattern of tensional equilibrium. Let us define personality as a pattern of trait of behavior. Each one of those traits will be a tensional balance of forces. Let us define a psychological force as a constant tendency to behave in one particular way. Then the mainspring of human behavior will be the tensional equilibrium between isolation and communication. That organizational center usually called awareness, I, or conscience, is the deeply hidden abode of our cherished ideas, emotions, dreams, purposes, and innermost desires. They are so secluded that sometimes they are hidden from our own selves; but from their seclusion they dictate our overt decision, words actions, and gestures. All our behavior is symbolical expression of that secluded self. Yet, the very existence of that self is a function of the social life of the infant. It was formed in association and communication and it lives and thrives accordingly. Once that it appeared, even seclusion means interiorization of the person’s social relations. Language, the very esence of awareness, is a social bond, and solitary thinking is the interiorization of language. From this mainspring of human relations, defined as the isolation-communication continuum, the second principle is produced. Let us call it the sense of human dignity.

This is also a tensional equilibrium of a feeling of personal worth and a feeling of worthlessness. The feeling of worth is attached to the fact of awareness, which makes of each person the unique center of a universe, its existential universe. Environment means the world that envelops the aware individual person. Above, below, behind, in front of the individual feeling and thinking person constitute the cardinal points of a universe personally constructed. Contrariwise, the very many natural, k and cultural necessities to which a human being is subjected often imparts a feeling of indignity. Sickness, death, hunger, dependency, are some of the sources which charge the negative affective pole. This means that dignity is a very labile status, very easily upset and leading to all sorts of disturbances in human relations. A third, but by no means a last tension is the semantic or value continuum. Language is constituted of words arranged in syntactical and international patterns. Apart from the thousand and one definitions that linguists may concoct, language is a symbolical projection of the first tensional equilibrium; that is the personal and secluded awareness of self in an attempt to communicate its psychic universe with another psychic universe, one isolated individual trying to overcome his isolation to reach another isolated individual. To be effective, the instrument of communication must have a conventional social value, universally accepted. Yet language is acquired as a personal experience, like learning to love, to hate or to swinv. Each experience is coined in language which unites in itself a logical idea set up in an emotional context. The feeling of personal identity for example, is logical awareness of self that is a concept, but it is also a construct of ambivalent feelings: threat and resistance; attraction and hostility? shame and self-assertion, etc0 When we try to communicate with each other in linguistic medium we can never be sure what values, in terms of ideas and feelings, our words evoke in the other person. If we care to insure good human relations, we must try to certify for ourselves that the intended meaning of our communication has reached the other end correctly and viceversa. This should never be taken for granted. If the secretary is well aware of these three main principles of human behavior, how could she take the best advantage of her knowledge to accomplish good human relations? In the first place she must have the good will. Peace on earth is granted only to persons of good will. In the second place she must pay the price in terms of intelligent practice, self-criticism, self-correction and self-improvement. Perfection is a goal, partial fulfillment is the reward granted to the good-willing imperfect secretary. The young workers who faces the prospects of going to work with great fear of uncertainty (lack of understanding as regard to the new job or even inexperienced ones, need to develop their behavior which will help them adopt to the conditions of the job) The best approach for a secretary to apply is the scientific and methodological system of human relations to achieve the desired goals and objectives of her organization. It is quite obvious that human relations deals with the interaction of a wide range of circumstances and of course social setting but I am going to limit this to the office conditions especially in financial institutions.

Carvel F.J (1977) say “That human relations can be pleasant and rewarding” the relationship between a secretary and co-worker, the boss and others even customers in her working environment should be very cordial in her day to day dealings. This he said will be compared with that of husband and wife, lecturers and students parents and their children. Human relations is vital because it creates avenue for people to interact with both in offices and other parastatals because it has an influence over the nature and manner with which individual work out solutions to the problems in which they are confronted with. The secretary with his or her psychological skills is also expected to understand different moods of co-workers, customers, the work conditions and how to arrest difficult situations in the office, how to get the best from his present group and how to take care of unexpected situation successfully.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

For a good number of reasons, secretaries in some of our financial institutions have been finding it very difficult to cope with the performance of their function as it regards to human relations. This has generated a lot of problems for secretaries. Some of the situations are witnessed when an intolerant boss makes a mistake in the course of his duties with the secretary, but fails to admit such mistakes; rather he costs the blames on the secretary. Struggling to meet up with the demands of these disgust executives as well as maintaining a good relationship with each other and at the same time keeping up with the demands of the job is stressful to the secretary. Again lack of fact in performing official duties by the secretary constitute a very big problem, for instance when answering phone calls, secretaries with poor relationship radiate this attitude to phone callers. This equally applied when handling client’s affairs, because some secretaries by their positions in financial institution do not take cognizance of the client due to inefficiency in their job. In that regards Carvel F.J (1972) say “That a problem arises when the boss finds the secretary sexually attractive. This he says creates room for insolent secretary and an awkward office relationship now prevails. In this regard the researcher will try to find the solutions to these problems as it affects the secretary.

1.3 Objective of the Study

The objectives of the study are;

To identify the essentialities of good human relations as they affect secretaries.
Investigate the role of human relations as an aid to effective job performance
To know whether the working environment under which workers perform their duty is conductive enough for increase productively.
To ascertain the relationship between human relationship and job performance of secretaries

1.4 Research Hypotheses

For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;

H0: there are no good essentialities of human relations that affect the effectiveness and performance of secretaries
H1: there are good essentialities of human relations that affect the effectiveness and performance of secretaries
H02: human relations does not play any role in aiding effective job performance of secretaries
H2: human relations do play a role in aiding effective job performance of secretaries

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is intended to create awareness on management of organization, regarding the need to provide good human relations in their organizations. The study will be of immense benefit to organization individual and students, it will afford business organizations the opportunity of knowing more of some of the employee wants and needs the various components of human relations. They can use and its resultant effect on productivity.

1.6 Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study covers some selected financial organizations in Auchi. In particular, the study is geared towards findings out the possible benefits of human relations in those organizations and the result of the study will assist the management of these organizations in appraising its human relations practice with a view of having human relations that is result oriented. This study was carried out in some financial organizations in Auchi and is delimited to Auchimetrophs with the following organization covered. New Nigeria Bank, Auchiand Uchi Community Bank, Auchi in Enugu state. The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

a) Availability of Research Material:

The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study

b) Time:

The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.

c) Organizational Privacy:

Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Human Relation:

Human relations are the process of training employees, addressing their needs, fostering a workplace culture and resolving conflicts between different employees or between employees and management.

Job Performance:

Job performance assesses whether a person performs a job well. Job performance, studied academically as part of industrial and organizational psychology, also forms a part of human resources management. Performance is an important criterion for organizational outcomes and success.

Secretary:

A secretary or personal assistant is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication, or organizational skills

Financial Institution:

Financial institutions are corporations which provide services as intermediaries of financial markets

1.8 Organization of the Study

This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows

Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), historical background, statement of problem, objectives of the study, research hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study, definition of terms and historical background of the study.
Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study is based, thus the review of related literature.
Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study.
Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.
Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study

Chapter Five

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

5.1 Introduction

It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain essentialities of good human relationship on the job performance of secretaries in financial institution.

In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of human relationsand the job performance of secretaries.

5.2 Summary

This study was to ascertain the essentialities of a good public relations to the effective performance of secretarial function. Four objectives were raised A review of existing literature on the subject of Secretarial practices as well as human relations was presented in chapter two. This review explored important issues relating to the concept of secretary, the classification of the functions of the secretary and the secretarial productivity. Beside the secondary data, a primary data was gathered through the use of questionnaires from the sampled population selected for this study. A total of 200 respondents contributed to the findings of this study

5.3 Conclusion

The study concludes that there are in-service training needed by executive secretaries in bank which provides better performance in their office procedures and operations. The study is also of the view that in-service training needed by the executive secretaries in up-dating their skills, attitudes and knowledge should be adequately provided which will enable them to contribute to the realization of organizational goals and objectives. It is evident in the study that when executive secretaries in bank are given opportunities for in-service training in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), their job performance in their office procedures and operations are bound to improve considerably as such they are motivated to carry out their office routines cheerfully and remarkably.

5.4 Recommendation

Promotion of these secretaries should be based on merit and frequent submission for in-service training programme for upgrading of knowledge and skills and not on the basis of years of experience. Secretarial staff should at any time be ready to go for in-service training not minding the inconveniences it might caused them.

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