Imperativeness and challenges of confidentiality in human resource administration

Abstract

The importance of confidentiality in human resource administration appears to have been swept under the carpet in Nigeria workplace. Rarely it is mentioned or heard. It is more or less a page ethical code in personal secretary profession, thus the belief that confidentiality ethic is personal secretary's business only. Literature reveals that there is no in depth study and teaching of the subject in terms of general knowledge, importance, management, maintenance, implication of non adherence, and challenges within the human resource administration in Nigeria. Whereas, it's neglect, may have likely led to employees and management disharmony that has ruined some organizations, institutions and government or made them ungovernable in Nigeria. It is on this premise that this paper attempts to appraise the necessity of maintaining confidentiality and its challenges in human resources administration in Nigeria. The paper reveals the crucial roles maintaining confidentiality play in ensuring the quality of programmes and services in human resources administration in Nigeria. The study also reveals the need to make the human resource professionals change their myopic view of confidentiality in Nigeria workplace to a serious and complex issue with its attendant risk of mismanaging with a view to beginning to teach, train, handle and maintain confidentiality among personnel in Nigeria workplaces.