Effective Organization Of Working Process
Introduction
The secretaries are dynamic employees who have to portray a great role to run an efficient workplace setting. Garrison & Eaton (1992) stressed that a chaotic job environment will lead dissatisfaction and stress which may result to depression and absenteeism. It is noteworthy that an organizational performance depends on the job satisfaction of employees rather than the other way around (Bakotić, 2016), hence, a well-kept office atmosphere is important. A secretary’s role is a necessary task in any organization including in Saudi Arabia. The secretary acts as a center of communication by sending and receiving phone calls, letters, memos, keep records, arranging travel for the employer, and upholding secrecy policy of the organization. A secretary is an office employee who maintains a filing system, and schedule appointments for the boss. Moreover, the secretary’s functions include organizing of meetings, related minutes’ writings and agenda, for follow-up action, coordinating the management and employees; and coordinates multi-procedures and processes related with the organizational activities and operations. The secretary is expected to arrive early at the workplace and make everything ready. Because, secretaries do the managers routine work while they are spending much of their time in meetings (Ellis, 1987). Thus, the secretary’s success and value depend on the interactive and supervisory skills which enhance the institution’s reputation.
According to Ridgeway (1982), the secretary’s role has become the focal point for substantial research, due to the growing secretary’s duties and responsibilities; unless the executives’ attitudes change, their secretaries will be using the technology, not them (Anon., 1986). The Commission on Higher Education has evidently embraces this theory when it adopts the introduction of bachelor of science degree in office administration and implements its guidelines Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012 (CMO, No. 19., 2017). King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) is an establishment owned by the Saudi government that attracts potential employee by offering plenty of benefits. These include a paid annual leave of thirty-five days for administrative staff and forty-five days for medical staff. An annual salary increment of five percent, round-trip airline ticket from the country of origin yearly, a tax-free salary, and board-and-lodging for single female staff. Moreover, a transportation allowance for married female staff, house, and transportation allowance for male staff. Staffs also enjoy extra fourteen-days off for two Eid holidays, paid medical insurance. For those who have reached ten or fifteen year residency at KFMC will receive a bonus equal to two month salary.
Finally, maternity and paternity leave, marriage leave, death leave, sick leave, study leave; end of service benefit (ESB) etc. are accessible for the staff to avail.The Saudi staffs enjoy the same benefits except for the round-trip airline ticket provided to expatriates. Nevertheless, Saudis have a mandatory of nine percent salary deduction for the General Organization for Social Insurance contribution every month. Conversely, they have growth opportunities by attending a compensated professional development programs for skills and knowledge improvement such as training, seminar, course, etc. to both local and international level amounting 4,000 US dollars. In addition, a qualified Saudi staff can avail scholarship program for higher education in international colleges and universities. The three categories of KFMC’s secretarial spot that male and female applicant alike can fill are the secretary (I & II), executive secretary, and medical secretary (I & II). Both secretaries (I & II) and executive secretary are exclusive for Saudis regarding on Saudization program of the government (Wikipedia contributors, 2018).
The secretarial positions’ assignments are distributed in KFMC hospitals, clinics or its administrative offices, whichever is the case; this distinguishes the scope of duties and responsibilities. Although expatriates can take medical secretary positions it is unsecured because the government priority for jobs whether in government or private companies are the citizens. Despite KFMC’s having spent millions of Saudi Arabian riyals on training the Saudis administrative employees, secretaries inclusive, they exclude Filipino secretaries. Interestingly, Filipino secretaries are taking opportunity of their employment status as a stepping stone to achieve a long-lasting stable job for the future and the family’s future by finding alternative. Some are pursuing a higher education study to motivate themselves realizing that there is no way of staying permanently. Due to the lack of growth opportunity, job security, future, cultural and language barrier, work overload, and challenging jobs; in spite of the aforementioned incentives, these factors are compelling many Filipino secretaries to resign and return back to the Philippines for good. Sometimes Filipino secretaries are not staying in the office, ignoring tasks, and are resorting to personal businesses which somehow affect their work performance as a result of interest lost. Vroom & Deci (Expectancy theory) proved that people’s behavior affects how their work relates to their rewards (Vroom & Deci, 1983).
A survey has revealed that benefits, in general, do a little motivation concerning incentives for the secretaries; without challenges and opportunities for growth, employees could unseen high needs to perform at work (Uzonna, 2013, p. 210). Lao (1981) further revealed that a monetary reward has little effect on subsequent motivation if a task is truly intrinsically motivating. In addition, according to Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, money is not even a motivator (Gupta-Sunderji, 2017). Although, Daft (1996) has reiterated that wage and salary structure is an important part of the compensation package that maintains a productive workforce and important benefits offered by the organization. Theoretical Framework Uzonna (2013, p. 210) stated that managers need to provide growth opportunity and challenging jobs to better motivate today’s workers. Furthermore, his research confirmed that “the use of non-cash rewards can be an effective and cost-efficient way to motivate employees, and concluded, to bring out the best performance of employees.
Growth opportunities and challenges; recognition and non-cash rewards are more effective motivators than money” (Uzonna, 2013, p. 210). Gumus and Sahin (2015, p. 90) agree, stating that determination of satisfaction is by levels low-to-high facets and that satisfaction depends on the nature of work. Such as working administrative setting is lesser busy while busier in clinics this consequent effects the employee’s satisfaction. Without the above-mentioned factors, Filipino secretaries may perceive no need to perform high at work. The Filipino secretaries want to feel that their hard work pays off and make a difference and recognized. Because, “employees value the recognition as the attention they receive” said (Wiscombe, 2002). (Kelly, 2010) stated that a formal, such as ‘employee of the month’ award is a powerful tool in motivating employees. Ali & Ahmed’s (2009, p. 278) study revealed that rewards or recognition offered to employees could have a resultant positive impact on motivation and thus result in higher levels of job performance. The major finding of Chikaodili P. Okeke (2010, p. 5) research is that promotion has a significant relationship with job satisfaction, a relationship in salary and job satisfaction exists, and workplace environment contributes to job satisfaction among employees.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework represented below displays the crucial factual views in the study such as discrepancies in incentives and opportunities among KFMC secretaries despite having imbalance distribution of scope of works and tasks in handling duties and responsibilities.Thus, the figure shows the balance model used comparing the discrepancies relationship and distribution of scope of works and tasks among three categories of secretaries. Each of the first two secretaries enjoys good incentives, with a slight difference, such as higher/high salary; growth opportunity; scholarship; award; lesser/less task; and other benefits while having few responsibilities. The Filipino secretaries enjoy fewer incentives while having more task, hence, affect work performance due to psychological demoralizing. Printed papers comprised data collection through questionnaire were distributed among Filipino secretaries in the study for data analysis and data interpretation. The projected turnout was edited and improved through proposed recommendation which will be provided afterward.
Study Conceptual Chart
Statement of the ProblemThe purpose of this study is to identify the effect of compelling factors on the job performance of Filipino secretaries at KFMC. The Filipino secretaries failed to enjoy the same opportunities given to Saudi counterparts. This has created a gap among citizens and expatriates. Most of the Filipino secretaries complain that fringe salary gaps, hard-work has no appreciation and commendation, lack of professional growth, residency rights for their future, and poor culture-and-language barrier relationships with others are the factors affecting the productivity of Filipino secretaries.In addition, this study wants to know if improved incentives will play a major component when Filipino secretaries offered professional growth and development regularly, when promoted, and or given formal commendations by the executive administration. As observed, many organizations failed to realize the importance of good working conditions and the serious effects to their employees, in particular, the factors regarding the performance (Anon., Naira Project, 2018) of the Filipino secretaries.
Hypothesis
This study uses a minimal level of implication to prove the hypothesis that there is a substantial effect on the Filipino secretaries’ performance in carrying out the duties and responsibilities when the respondents’ answer sheets have been collected and analyzed using the Microsoft Office Excel program for statistical analysis of sampled data.
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study focuses on Filipino secretaries’ performance in carrying out the duties and responsibilities in the selected clinic and administrative departments at King Fahad Medical City. Particularly, Filipino secretaries’ performance was assessed through interviews and respondents in the following departments of the Faculty of Medicine namely, dean’s office, academic, clinical skills, administrative and finance; and employees’ health clinics. The respondents are composed of eight male medical secretaries and twenty-five 25 female medical secretaries.
Significance of the Study
The time and resources committed are only justifiable when the results of a research are effectively utilized. This study was substantial considering the importance and insistence of a high productivity regarding on the Filipino secretaries’ performance in the office. The results of this study are beneficial to the following Office Administrators. They would receive support and assistance without any reservation from the Filipino secretaries knowing that these secretaries are well trained and provided with necessary professional skills enhancement which will make them competent secretaries.
Medical secretaries
They would be challenged to perform their necessary and newly acquired skills, techniques, knowledge etc. in retrospect to the would be given opportunity for growth professional development and focusing on their weaknesses by giving those opportunities that will enhance it.
Organization
It would be equipped with competent secretaries that maintain advanced productive workforce and important improvements which will contribute to the beneficial growth and reputation of the organization.
