THE NEW BLACK
How roles in the funeral industry are changing
THE funeral industry may be one of the oldest in the world but even its workers are not immune to evolution.
As in all industries, evolving social, cultural and technological contexts have influenced the way people work.
Invocare people and culture group executive Amanda Tober says, for example, funeral and memorial workers have had to learn about many religious influences beyond Christianity as Australia becomes increasingly multicultural.
“We have a responsibility as an organisation to train and educate our employees on different rituals and cultural ceremonies and with that we are also focused on building a much more diverse workforce representative of the communities we serve,” she says.
Tober says the industry also has embraced technology, such as live streaming services offered for family and friends who cannot make it to the funeral, while handwritten paperwork is being replaced by digitised forms.
“(Families) can access information about their arrangements in real time,” she says.
“They can reflect then come back to us and make changes.”
Adelaide Cemeteries Authority customer relations manager Matthew Adam also uses technology in his role, which includes maintaining the records of hundreds of thousands of burials and cremations held during the past 182 years.
“All of that data is now digitised and we work with members of the community who want to learn more about their ancestry (and) locate long-lost ancestors and other family members,” he says.
“Our data also includes geographical mapping and guides future cemetery planning.
“By identifying our most popular areas and monitoring when they will reach capacity, we can make informed decisions about future garden requirements and ensure that we continue to meet community preferences and needs.”
Despite changes in the industry, many aspects have remained the same.
Adelaide Cemeteries Authority memorial consultant Chris Clare says the most important skills for his role are soft skills, such as empathy, understanding, communication and compassion.
Young people with these attributes are encouraged to consider a career in the industry as Federal Government data shows the average age of funeral workers is 52 years – which is much older than the overall workforce average of 40.
Tober says Invocare, with brands including White Lady Funerals, Simplicity Funerals and Value Cremations, has opportunities for people without formal qualifications or experience, which can also develop into leadership pathways.
“We don’t necessarily prefer industry background or experience but we look for great customer service – we can train the rest,” she says.