The Differential Impact of On-the-Job Training, Mentoring, and Spousal Support on Achievement Motivation and Job Effectiveness in the Secretarial Profession, South-West Nigeria

Abstract

This study explores the differential impact of on-the-job training, professional mentoring, and spousal support on achievement motivation and job effectiveness among secretarial staff in the public sector of South-West Nigeria. Using a sample of 801 secretarial staff and 272 superior officers, the study employed descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis to examine how these factors contribute to secretarial productivity across job cadres (junior, senior, and experienced). The results indicate that spousal support has a significant positive effect on job effectiveness, particularly for senior and more experienced staff. On-the-job training and professional mentoring showed significant impacts only for senior secretarial staff, suggesting that more experienced employees benefit most from structured support systems. However, junior and experienced staff showed minimal improvement in job performance due to training and mentoring interventions. The study also revealed that spousal support did not significantly influence achievement motivation, indicating that intrinsic factors, such as personal ambition, are more critical drivers of motivation. The findings underscore the importance of cadre-specific interventions in enhancing secretarial staff performance and offer practical recommendations for improving professional development programs, work-life balance, and tailored mentoring for different staff levels.