3 Major Challenges Often Faced By Company Secretaries
There is a common misconception that company secretaries spend most of their work hours sitting at their desks doing paperwork or running errands for their CEOs. However, in reality, the role of a corporate secretary has evolved. In fact, the term ‘secretary’ itself has widely been replaced by more fitting job titles like ‘management assistant’ or ‘executive secretary’.
Corporate secretaries essentially serve as the ‘eyes’ of the company, working on essential tasks almost round the clock. They address the needs not only of the management board but also of the customers and employees. For this reason, it is hard to imagine a business to be successful if it does not engage in company secretary services.
However, along with their expanded role, there are now many challenges that company secretaries face at work. To learn what these challenges are, read on as this article explores some of the most common obstacles that corporate secretaries often face today and how to overcome them.
1. Understanding the business
To become an effective corporate secretary, it is necessary for one to understand the business of the company they work for. However, many secretaries often have a hard time understanding the ins and outs of their companies, especially during their first few months of employment. Before focusing on any software or technology, a company secretary should concentrate on basic business skills and have a complete grasp of how their company works.
This is important since corporate secretaries are expected to be able to provide valuable pieces of advice at all times – whether it has something to do with operations, finance, or company management. Moreover, because secretaries serve as an information hub of the company, they should always know more than the ordinary employee. As such, they are required to master the act of asking the right questions and piecing chunks of information together to attain the correct answers.
2. Handling difficult personalities
Corporate secretaries are usually the first people to whom customers, employees, managers, board members, and suppliers come when they need something. While these individuals are generally pleasant to work with, in some instances, secretaries will, unfortunately, have to work with people who are harder to deal with. These individuals may undermine the importance of the secretary and treat them as someone on whom they can unleash their repressed anger.
Most of the time, management boards consist of various personalities that may sometimes not get along with one another. To handle these varying personalities, a company secretary should possess a certain charm. They should be able to help overheated individuals calm down and regain people’s confidence in the company by assuring everyone that every conflict will be resolved as quickly as possible.
3. Adapting with changes
In today’s digital age, businesses are subject to constant change. If a company lacks the ability to transform and react quickly, it may find it challenging to stay afloat. Similarly, extensive cultural changes, such as the evolving notions of diversity in the workplace and sustainability requirements, are now impacting numerous industries. For this reason, it is now crucial for companies to be always on top of emerging trends and to implement swift actions at all times.
Besides companies, it is also necessary for corporate secretaries to always be ready to adapt to changes. To remain ahead of the curve, they must take time to educate themselves. They should constantly seek to expand their professional interests so that they can become more agile and flexible in their role. For instance, one can take a course in an area that has nothing to do with their field of expertise to challenge their thinking and broaden their mindset.
Conclusion
A corporate secretary is a vital member of a company. Without their support and commitment, a business could not function seamlessly. However, due to their evolving role and responsibilities, it is no surprise that company secretaries face numerous hurdles at work nowadays. Being aware of these challenges and the best ways to overcome them can help a corporate secretary become much more effective and valuable in their role.
Should you need efficient corporate secretary services to help ensure the smooth functioning of your business, OneStop Professional is here to help you! We are an esteemed accounting firm in Singapore that offers a variety of excellent corporate services, such as corporate secretarial services, accounting services, auditing services, company incorporation, nominee director search, and many more. Feel free to contact us to learn more about our offers.
