A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF STRESS ON SECRETARY'S JOB PERFORMANCE IN SOME SELECTED FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS IN ENUGU METROPOLIS

By

OKORO JOY H.

Presented To

Department of Secretarial Studies

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

Approval page

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Abstract

Table of contents

CHAPTER ONE:

10 Introduction

11 Background of the study

12 Statement of the problems

13 The Purpose of the study

14 Scope of the study

15 Research Question

16 Significance of the study

17 Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO

20 Related Literature Review

21 Introduction

22 What is Stress?

23 Types of stress

24 Relationship between individual and organizational stress

25Causes and effects of stress

26 Effects of Stress

27 Summary of literature Review

CHAPTER THREE:

Methodology

30 Introduction

31 Research Design

32 Area of study

33 Population of the study

34 Sample and Sampling procedure

35 Instrument for data collection

36 validation of the research instrument

37 Reliability of the Research Instrument

38 Method of Administration of the research instrument

39 Method of data analysis

CHAPTER FOUR:

40 Data presentation Results

41 Analysis of data presentation

42 Discussion of findings

CHAPTER FIVE

Discussion, Implication and Recommendation

50 Introduction

51 Discussion of findings

52 Conclusion

53 Implication of the Results

54 Recommendations

55 Suggestions for further research

56 Limitation of the Study

References

Appendices I

Appendices II

List of Tables

Table 1: Population distribution table

Table 2: Samples and Sampling procedures

Table 3: Distribution of questionnaire

Table 4: Response to question one

Tble 5: Response to Question two

Table 6: Response to Question three

Table 7: Response to question four

Table 8 Response to question five

Table 9: Response to question six

Table 10: Response to question seven

Table 11: Response to question eigth

Table 12: Response to question nine

Table 13: Response to question ten

Table 14: Response to question eleven

Table 15: Response to question twelve

Table 16: Response to question thirteen

Table 17: Response to question fourteen

Table 18: Response to question fifteen

Table 19: Response to question sixteen

Table 20: Response to Question Seventeen 

CHAPTER ONE

10 INTRODUCTION:

A secretary works in a dynamic environment pack fully with conflicting situations and instructions - so much that no working two days are exactly the same These conflicting decisions and instructions crop-up all the time and they demand prompt attention and decisions But the rule of it is that the time to perform these functions does not increase rather, it seems to diminish and with this apparent shortage of time comes "stress"

The roles and functions of the secretary are basic to the organizational roles and so cannot be confined within the purview of a job description They range from covering of meetings, taking care of office duties, keeping schedules in both hers and her boss's desk diaries for complete and effective job performance up-to-date and supervising subordinates as well as making sure that the procedures are observed in the office All these to be done without a pause to enable the smooth flow of work Thus, she is also important to the organization because of her ability to remain calm under extraordinary condition of work pressures from her work

The secretary's obligations to the boss can sometimes be strenuous and conflicting with her official jobs in financial institutions, secretaries face a lot of challenges which cause them a lot of stress A situation whereby a secretary is deployed to the area outside her scope of study of work makes her work very tedious without a course or training on that particular area Secondly high difference in pay package This is one of the major stresses in financial institutions The pay package of a core banker (operations and marketers) and secretarial staff is quite different and this causes secretaries to feel inferior as if their services are not appreciated In spite of their call professional duties, they are not trained along with other core bankers

12 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

Modern organization operate in the dynamic and ever changing environment Because the modern organization exists in rapidly changing automated environment, the secretary is faced with a lot of physical and mental challenges on the job which may cause her stress - noise, lack of experience to use certain machines due to ever changing automated equipment or activities of her colleague and public to the job she does The societal and organizational structures and their effects on her job are some of these factors that may affect her performance on the job very adversly As well, the sitting arrangements, preservation of dangerous chemicals and substances used in the course of her work and lack of proper qualifications for the job may cause her stress

Added to these stressors is the fact that new technology may eventually make her learn skills unwanted in the work place Though not manifest in quantifiable terms, these threats cause stress that may eventually spell doom to the secretary mentally as well as physically

For every successful businessman, executive or organization, there is always an efficient and hardworking secretary In view of the adverse effects of stress on the performance of the secretary on her job, which may in turn cause her boss or even her organizational performance not to be up to what it would have been or not to realize its goals, it becomes of urgent need to take a very keen look at the job the secretary does and find out what does cause her stress

13 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:

The purpose or objective of this research work is to find out the environmental factors associated with the secretary's job stress, and their effects on her job performance The study, in looking at this problem, attempts to find out the following:

1 Whether new technologies and work environment casues her stress

2 To find out how to treat / reduce the challenges facing secretaries in the work place physically and mentally

3 To find out whether the relationship between the secretary, boss and colleagues cause her stress

4 To find out how to solve family, emotional problems that conflict with her job performance

14 SCOPE OF THE STUDY:

The researcher has narrowed the scope of this study in some selected financial institution in Enugu metropolis They are as follows

The organizations are as follows:

· Intercontinental Bank Plc, Regional office

Plot 7 EBEANO ESTATE

GARDEN AVENUE ENUGU

AFRIBANK PLC

Okpara Avenue Branch

Enugu

Zenith International Bank Plc

Okpara Avenue Branch

Enugu

· Emenite Aluminium Company, Enugu

15 Research Qustions

To act as a guide to a thorough investigation of this area of interest The following research question were drawn

1 What stress can new office automation cause secretaries?

2 What can be done to eliminate stress physically and mentally?

3 What are the things to be done to stop stress that exists between the secretary, boss and colleagues?

4 What can be done to avoid secretary's job not to conflict with her other obligation

Also, due to enormous size of Enugu State, the researchers was unable to cover all the organization in the State It is was due to time and distance constraint

16 significance of the Study

This is the importance and benefits of the study In other words, this research will be of great importance to the society at large but primarily it will be useful to the following

a The professional secretary

b The management (financial institutions)

c Trainers

d Academicians

a The professional secretaries: it is hoped that as a result of carefull perusal of this work, the secretary will be in a better position to recognize stress or avoid them wherever possible and control their effects on her job performance on her part

b The Management: Ignorance of how well to treat a secretary in order to get her best performance may be one of the reasons why the secretary is subjected to stressful condition at the place of work It is hoped that after reading this work, the boss will be better informed as to how best to handle a secretary to get maximum performance from her

c Trainers: sometimes people who train the secretary for the job are hopelessly out of contact with what is required of her at the place of work So that training programs are not up to what they should be Therefore, it is hoped that this will help trainers identify vital training areas on which to lay emphasis and from time to time improve, on facilities to meet with mdern office procedures

d The Academicians: This work may later prove useful to the academicians who may find all or some of it as useful points for further research work on the secretary's job