Office Technology and Management Skills and Workplace Productivity of Secretaries in Enugu State Government Establishments

The role of secretaries and office administrators in sustaining organisational workflow and supporting executive productivity in government establishments has been significantly reshaped by advances in office technology, demanding higher levels of digital competency and integrated management skills from practitioners in the field. This study examines the relationship between office technology and management skills and workplace productivity of secretaries in Enugu State Government establishments. The study is anchored on the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) Framework, which links the acquisition of specific, measurable competencies to improved task performance and professional productivity outcomes. A descriptive survey research design was employed. The population comprised 348 secretaries and office administrators across selected Enugu State ministries and government agencies. A sample of 186 respondents was drawn using stratified random sampling. Data were collected via structured questionnaires and analysed using regression analysis and Spearman's rank correlation. Findings indicate that proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, electronic communication management, digital records handling, and virtual meeting facilitation are the office technology skills most significantly associated with high workplace productivity ratings. The study further finds that secretaries who received formal vocational training at institutions like IMT Enugu consistently outperform informally trained counterparts on productivity measures, particularly in digital task execution. It is concluded that office technology and management skill acquisition through formal vocational training is a reliable predictor of secretarial productivity in public sector settings. The study recommends that Enugu State Government prioritise continuous digital skills upgrading for administrative staff and partner with IMT Enugu to deliver structured refresher training programmes.

Keywords: Office technology, management skills, workplace productivity, secretaries, CBET framework