The office secretary : a study of an occupational group of women office workers

• Main Author: Silverstone, R.
• Published: City University London 1974
• Subjects: 331.4; H Social Sciences
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.472670

An analysis was made of one clerical occupation-in which women predominated, that of the office secretary. The research aimed to examine the occupation in the general context of women's employment and in particular to examine the relationship between the secretary's job and occupational and social mobility. Information was obtained from two separate' sources: a) a sample of employers in central London and all the secretaries they employed, using As a sample frame Thomson's London Yellow 4 Pages Classified telephone directory, and, b) the nationwide membership of two organisations of secretaries, the Institute of Qualified Private Secretaries and the National Association of Personal Secretaries. Two hundred and fifty-two establishments took part in the enquiry and eight hundred and sixty-one completed questionnaßres were received from secretaries and former-secretaries. Employers, who were interviewed, were asked about their needs and use of secretaries. The questionnaire to secretaries covered a number of different topics including education and training, career and job selection, a secretary's function, conditions of work, use of machinery, job satisfaction, promotion and occupational mobility, and the effect of marriage. Issues such as a secretary's role and the status of the occupation were examined. The research presents a picture of secretaries and the work they do and puts forward recommendations to improve their employment situation.