Vol. 1, Issue 1, Part A (2019)

It is a well-established fact that advances in technology has affected different professions with a view to meet global trends in higher productivity. Considering the highly competitive nature of today’s world of work driven by information and communications technology and coupled with the paucity of employment opportunities in Nigeria, secretarial staff need to value their positions and do whatever it takes to avoid becoming irrelevant and being replaced. Secretarial staff irrespective of their ranks and experiences, should as a matter of urgency acquire the necessary skills to enhance their relevance to accelerate their success in the workplace. Despite research studies on the impact of this technology, there has been a lack of empirical evidence on secretaries working patterns, interactions and communication, and specifically how office technology and management skills has changed working practices in the polytechnic systems. The sample of this study comprised secretaries and managers in Kaura Namodapolytechnic. The main findings revealed that sound knowledge of office technology and management skills increase the performance of the secretary for organizational growth. The findings also showed that the work of a secretary goes far beyond typing and taking down dictation. It has been noted that not everybody can perform the work of a secretary. It requires certain professional qualities such as diplomacy; tactfulness, initiative etc. and no executive can function well without a secretary.