EMERGING TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE OFFICE MANAGEMENT IN ORGANIZATIONS IN IDAH, KOGI STATE

This study was carried out to determine the Emerging Technical and Professional Skills required for effective office management in organization in Idah, Kogi State. Survey design was adopted for the study. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The population for this study is 123 office workers in selected organizations in Idah. Structured questionnaire was used for the collection of data. 123 copies of questionnaire were administered and 110 copies were collected giving 89.43% return. Data collected were analyzed using simple Arithmetic Mean and t-Teat Statistics. Based on the analysis, the following findings were made: the emerging IT and networking skills required for effective office management in organization in Idah, include: proficiency in cloud computing, data encryption and security audits, use software-defined networking, AI operations; emerging communication skills include: ability to use digital communication tools, apply email etiquette, use virtual platforms, listen attentively, skills in business writing, public speaking skills and mastering non-verbal communication; emerging interpersonal skills include: ability to manage emotions effectively, adjust to new challenges, resolve disputes diplomatically, analyze situations logically, demonstrate ethical behaviour and being skillful in time management; and the emerging teamwork and collaboration skills include: virtual remote work skills and delegating tasks to team members. The finding showed that there was no significance difference between the opinion of male and female office managers on the emerging IT and Networking Skills and Communication Skills required for effective office management in organization in Idah, Kogi State. Based on the findings the following recommendations were made: organizations should provide ICT equipments in their offices to improve efficiency and competency of workers; employees should avoid frosty relationships leading to low performance; institutions should prepare graduates for effective business communication; and that team work must be encouraged at workplace.