A STUDY OF THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF STRESS ON SECRETARY’S JOB PERFORMANCE IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

            The purpose of this work was to find out the effects of stress on the secretary’s job performance.

A questionnaire was drawn up with which data were collected. This was supplemented by observations. The respondents were in selected organizations in Enugu Urban.  In all 61 questionnaires were distributed for the study.

From the data collected and analyzed, it was discovered that secretaries face a lot of stressing situations in the course of doing their jobs but that some were more painful in their effects than others. The three most significant stressors identified were lack of adequate equipment and sufficient working materials and equipment, strenuous human relations in the work place and the lack of necessary qualifications.

Recommendations were however made that adequate training of the secretary physically and mentally should be proved among others.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

1.1              Background of the study

1.2              Statement of the Problem

1.3              Purpose of the Study

1.4              Significance of the Study

1.5              Scope/Limitations of Study

1.6              Research Questions

1.7              Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

Review of Literature

2.1              The Concept of Stress

2.2              Types of Stress

2.3              Causes of Stress

2.4              Effects of Stress in Achievement of Organizational Goal

2.5              Measure to Curb Stress on the Job

2.6              Summary of Review of Literature

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology and design

3.1              Area of the Study

3.2              Population of the Study

3.3              Sample

3.4              Sources of Data Collection

3.5              Research Instrument

3.6              Validity of the Instrument Used

3.7              Administration and Collection of Questionnaires

3.8              Method of Data Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1              Analysis and Interpretation of Data

4.2              Findings

CHAPTER FIVE

5.1              Introduction

5.2              Summary of Findings

5.3              Conclusion

5.4              Recommendation

Reference

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A stress encountered by secretaries in the field of their job in business organizations is a lot to write home about.  Stress can be defined as the non specific reaction of the body to the demand made on it by external or internal stimulus events called stressors stress as emotional process has psychological and physiological implications said Han Seyle (1964).

According to Teachers Rigorously checked stress” is said to be pressure, condition, causing hardship and disquiet etc. Some business organizations in Enugu urban has made life mis-enable for some secretaries working in them, due to their inability to provide one thing or the other for them. Many professional secretaries experience conflicts because of work in the office and family activities waiting demands upon their time. Conflicts occur because the person want to devote adequate attention to both for family and office work.

The causes of this stress emanate from poor conduct of the so called “manager’s who do forget that the secretary is the heart beat of an organization”. Before any form or organization attain their aim, their secret must be kept and for this to be done the secretary in particular must be involved.

The roles and functions of the secretary are basic to the organization, these range from covering meetings, taking care of all office routine duties, keeping schedules in both hers and her boss’s desk diaries for complete and effective job performance up to date and supervising sub-ordinates as well as keeping other general information in the office. In the organization, she is also important to the organization because of her ability to remain clam under extra-ordinary condition of work pressures and human demands.

The work of secretaries are stressful in the since that they are the head and eye of the organization. Sometimes secretaries feel like back sliding because of the work fully packed for them and there is no time to tackle all these jobs, and upon that the manager will be shouting on them to hurry up, and as the secretary looks around and finds no help stress arises. In any event, extremely stressful situation, such as lack of sleep or physical torture bring about lack of interest to work and unhappiness while working.

As I mentioned before that the secretary is the heart beat of any organization, so organizations should sit up to make life meaningful for the secretaries working in them to achieve their aims.

1.2       STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Stress comes as a result of over working oneself. Over work may emanate from the manager of an organization or the secretary her self. A situation where the manager fail to recruit more workers in the organization, this will generate very many stressful condition for the secretaries working in them, running healter scleter from pillar to post which may lead to frustrations, tension and anxiety and as a result of this implicate her to various forms of problems.

The secretary herself causes stress in her job, as  a result of her inability to schedule her time according to her engagements ie using her limited time to cover a lot of things.

Hence the sources of stress has been measured, is now left for both managers and secretaries to come together and share their time according to their engagements in other to curb stress on that job.

1.3       PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to find out the causes and effects of stress on secretary’s job in Enugu urban business organization performance specifically, the study seeks to:

1.                  Find out causes of stress on the secretary.

2.                  Identify effects of stress on secretary’s job performance.

3.                  Ascertain problems arising from secretary’s stress on the achievement of organizational goal.

4.                  Find out measures to curb stress on the job.

1.4       SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research will be of importance to the society, it will be useful to professional secretaries. It is hoped that after some findings of this work, the secretary will be in a better position to find out causes stress and avoid them whenever possible and control their effects on her performance. This should lend to a better job performance.

Ignorance of how to treat a secretary in order to get her best performances may be one of the reason why the secretary is subjected to stressful conditions at the place of work.  It is hoped that after going through this work, the boss will be better informed as to handle a secretary to get maximum performance from her.

Sometimes, professional secretary trainers are hopelessly out to conduct with what is required of secretary at the place of work so that training programmes are not up to what they should be. This will help trainers to identity vital training areas on which to lay emphasis and from time to time improve on facilities to meet with modern office procedures.

1.6       RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated to guide this research study.

1.                  What factors causes stress in the secretary’s job environment?

2.                  To what extent does stress affect the job performance of the secretary?

3.                  How does stress effect the organizational goal?

4.                  How do we curb stress on secretary’s job?

1.7       DEFINITION OF TERMS

STRESS:         is said to be pressure, condition causing hardship and disquiet; stress is the state the secretary’s disposition when she hard been affected by a stressor.

STRESSOR: Is any factor in the environment of work that effects the secretary’s job performance.