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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to examine the employer expectation of his office manager in an organization. A total of 40 copies of questionnaire were conveniently distributed to respondents who are office managers in Shell Global Company, Total Oil, Kel Technology and FCMB Bank all in the Rivers State, of which 30 copies were dully completed and return by respondents making 75% response rate gotten for the study. The data gotten from respondents were analyzed with the simple percentage method of data analysis. After a careful analysis of the data, the following findings was discovered that. Employer expects an office manager to come up with a method of competition even when a suggestion was given, employer expect an office manager to have leadership qualities and self esteem, and employer expect an office manager to have a good knowledge of management, organizational behaviour and psychology. Base on the findings, it was recommended that; for office managers to perform their functions effectively, they should have sufficient knowledge of typewriting and shorthand, office administration, management information (business) law and procedure of meetings, personnel management, human relations, techniques language, all these would ensure professional growth of office managers to make effective contribution in the organization.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Various researchers reveal that in different countries employers expect employees’ to possess different skills. Burgess and Aitken (2004) in their survey of employers revealed that functional, conflict resolution, computer skills and good work habits as the expected. They also revealed chronic shortages of chef’s skills, kitchen, housekeeping, management, sales, enterprising and customer service. The organization expectation varies as per country being researched. There seems to be skills and competency that are common to all researchers like customer service, technical skills and management that the industry expects an employee to possess in order to be competent. Burgess and Aitken (2004) did not address skills and competence in the form of understanding the level of service expected by international guests, multi-skilled and self-initiative.
The chronic shortage of skills revealed may suggest that the educators do not impart them during training. An implication that would mean that the employees’ lack competences since they do not have the requisite skills. This will definitely hurt the organization as there will be no quality service.
There are several debates on skills and competences required in today’s workplace. Brophy and Kiely (2002) suggested the need for an innovative and fresh approach to human resource. Various authors have suggested that a competent employee must contribute to customer satisfaction amongst other things (Wikipedia assessed 27/9/11; Nwenre, 2005). Hence, a competent employee should have a cluster of skills and attitude that affect a major part of one’s job (Nwenre, 2005). This is the only way we can get quality service in an organization (Agut et al., 2003) identified a negative gap in most technical managerial competencies (knowledge and skills) the highest knowledge need was in economic financial management and the highest in skill was computing.
According to B. Winn (2013), the brand of the attractive employer is important because of the changes in essential employee’s intention – employees identification with and attachment to the organization, turnover intent and how productively they use their discretionary time. Therefore employer’s attractiveness has becoming more and more ‘hot topic’ in the business press and many organizations all over the world focus on the concept of an attractive employer or the best place to work or Best Employer status striving to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Furthermore, employer’s expectation from an office manager is not exempted. Every organization has a unique culture that dictates behaviour that is expected of a office manager. Performing successful in one organization does not guarantee success in another. Before office manager is employed he/she must be subjected to test or interview of any form. This test may lead to her acceptance or rejection. In some cases those who screen them have no knowledge of their profession so they use any method they consider best in making their selection.
Most employers look at office manager profession as a mere skill in shorthand and typewriting but the duties of an office manager goes beyond knowledge of these skills. Some people say that recruitment of office manager is based on their skill and speed in shorthand and typewriting. This system has been the major criteria used by employers in determining a capable office manager even when they know that office manager’s functions are not limited to just shorthand and typing (George, 1996).
The method of using speed in shorthand and typewriting in finding out how best is the office manager leaves a lot of doubt in the minds of office managers as to how best they are assessed by people who are not professional office manager.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The introduction of computer technology in the office manager’s profession has created a lot of problem. The modern office managers do not meet the requirements expected by their employers because most of them do not have much knowledge of computer before their graduation. With this background it is hard to say that office manager could meet up the expectation of employers.
The training and education required of a professional office manager to enable him or her meet the demand expected of him or her are effective communication skills, human relation skills, managerial skills as well as typewriting and shorthand skills.
It is vital that every trained office manager must be an example worthy of emulation, by the rest of the staff. She must be a model of punctuality meticulous in their work, and posses of an unfailing memory. She must be well groomed, loyal conscientious, and diplomatic in the affairs of her employer. She must be capable of working without supervision and sufficiently accomplishment show sense of intensive in matter not only within the scope of her routine responsibilities, but also those outside her routine works.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The aim of this study is to determine what employer expects of office manager in an organization. This study will focus on:
- a) To find out what employers actually expect from their office managers?
- b) To find out the significance of an office manager functions to the employers?
- c) To find out how reliable the various tools used by employers to determine who office manager is are.
- d) To enlighten students of office management on the kind of duties they will be expected to perform in their different offices.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This work will serve as a guide to all skills and functions needed by office managers in the performance of their duties. Intending students, already in training, practicing office manager and employers of office managers will find this research useful.
Finally, the study will enlighten the management on the qualities a good manager must possess in order to be efficient in her duties.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The aim of this research is to identify what employers expect of their office managers in any organization. In other to carry out this work successfully, the formulated and they are.
- a) What do employers actually expect from their office managers?
- b) What are the significances of an office manager functions to the employers?
- c) To find out how reliable the various tools used by employers to determine who office manager is are?
- d) What are the kinds of duties office manager will be expected to perform in their different offices?
1.6 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
In order to have a better view and understanding of the employer’s expectations of his office manager in an organization, the area of this study covers office managers working in selected organizations Port Harcourt, Rivers State. These organizations are’
- Shell Global Company
- Total Oil
- Kel Technology
- FCMB Bank
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researcher, in the course of this study, encountered some problems, which hindered her from going very deep into finding out what roles employers -expect office manager to plays in an organization. Their problems include the time constraint, inadequate finance and lack of essential materials for the research.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Office Manager: Employee in an office who deals with Correspondence keeps records, makes Arrangement for appointment, pre are business etc.
Employee: An employer is a person who owns a company or business that seeks for a qualified employee to carry out the day-today activities of the business with him in order to gain profit.
Manager: Manager can be defined as a person, usually an official, who is in charge of the records, correspondence, minutes of meeting and related affairs of the organization, association etc.
Organization: A group of people who form a business, together in order to achieve a particular aim.
Office: An office is a room kept aside for clerical activities.
Expectation: A strong belief about the way something should happen or how employee should behave.
Official: Connected with the job of somebody who is in a position of authority.
Employer: A person or company that pays people to work for them.