Employers using variety of methods to try and entice employees to challenging industry
Employers in Singapore's funeral sector have been turning to various measures to retain employees in the industry, according to reports.
TODAY reported on Jeffrey Lee, founder and managing director of Embrace Funeral Services, who said his company is sponsoring employees to attend upskilling courses, such as a bereavement course, in an attempt to retain its talent.
Hoo Hung Chye, executive director of the Association of Funeral Directors, also said they are offering in-house training for employees as they see more people join the profession.
Other employers, such as Serenity Casket and Funerals found Elson Chong, said they have made changes to their rotation system to prevent burnout.
"This rotation ensures that there is always a family care team available to meet the needs of families during peak hours while providing our directors with the flexibility they need to manage their work-life balance," Chong told TODAY.
They are also tapping non-profit organisations and schools to improve its image with younger people and encourage them to join the sector.
According to Chong, these collaborations seek to "create synergies" that will benefit all parties involved.
Recruitment, retention challenges
These measures come as Singapore's funeral sector face recruitment and retention challenges in the wake of surging death rates in the country, according to the TODAY report.
The occupation itself is already not popular among Singapore's population, and its employees are prone to burnout and low compensation.
Lee said many young people are leaving the industry after two or three months on the job due to the tough nature of the work.
Hoo said employees in the funeral sector are also highly desired by other industries are they are "trained in sensitivity and understand what care, compassion and dignity is all about when they care for bereaved families."
According to Hoo, they are hopeful that more people would join the sector as it grows in popularity in the media.
