Public warned against hiring unprofessional secretaries

The Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals Uganda (ASAPU) has cautioned employers against employing unqualified persons to work as secretaries that they risk the image of their entities.

The call was made by the ASPU president Julius Ssemaganda while handing over a donation package to children living with disabilities at Katalemwa Cheshire home in Kampala as away of celebrating the annual secretaries and administrative professionals week.

Ssemaganda said that in the recent past, there has been a number of documents, letters and reports being leaked to social media and main stream media which blame has been put on secretaries and personal assistants.

“There is no professional secretary and administrative staff that can do such a thing, this is so common because employers have made it a habit of employing friends and relatives as secretaries who have never acquired any skill or training in the field,” Ssemaganda said.

He urged the public to always recruit professional secretaries and administrators to avoid unnecessary mishandling of their offices adding that these professionals know how to deal with whichever administrative challenges that may arise at the work place.

The ASAPU president revealed that as a way of enhancing the skills and retooling their members, the association has organised a two days workshop at Collins Hotel in Mukono from April 26 to 27th.

“As we crown the celebrations, the workshop will be used to equip members with the new methods of work following new trends in technology; advancement in technology has changed the nature of holding meetings such as the use of virtual means and secretaries must be acquainted with the skills of organising such meetings, record keeping and reporting methods,” Ssemaganda noted.

Ssemaganda also used the space to call upon employers to consider enhancing the salaries of secretaries and administrators given the roles they play in an organisation.

“We are one of the least paid staffs in an organisation and yet we are its image since we work at front desks and clients interact with us first; we work from morning to evening with no room for side jobs which would help in subsiding our meagre salaries. Employers should find it important to always ensure that secretaries are given a better pay,”

While handing over relief items to Katalemwa Ceshire Home, Ssemaganda noted that the association felt that there is no better way of celebrating the role of secretaries and administrators in the country than giving back to children living with disabilities.

“We are here to give back to the community from our little resources that we earn as secretaries and administrative professionals; you don’t need to have much for you to give to those in needs. I called upon people to always donate to such homes for the services they render to the communities,” Ssemaganda noted.

Bridget Kachubya a registered nurse working with Katalemwa Cheshire Home appreciated the secretaries for having thought of donating to the home and the children living with disabilities in particular.

Kachubya appealed to parents having children living with disabilities to stop hiding and denying them several opportunities in life.