Lack of Industry Experience in Management: Many managers have no background in funeralcare, resulting in decisions that prioritize financial metrics over empathy and client/family experience.
High Burnout and Poor Retention: Staff are frequently overworked and underpaid, with exposure to emotionally traumatic situations. Reports of PTSD are common but rarely acknowledged or addressed.
Misleading Contracts: Entry-level roles are often offered as part-time (e.g., 18.75 hours), yet staff are expected to work full-time hours, including on-call shifts, nights, and weekends. These expectations are not always clearly communicated during recruitment.
Toxic Senior Leadership Culture: Instances of managerial bullying, harassment, and exclusionary practices are reported. Staff who don’t “fit in” may be unfairly targeted or managed out of the business.
Promotion Barriers: Advancement often depends more on internal politics than merit. There is a perception that inappropriate behavior has played a role in some promotions, undermining trust in the process.
Inadequate Interview Screening: The recruitment process lacks physical capability assessments, leading to hires who may struggle with the physical demands of the role, increasing injury risks for themselves and colleagues.
Safety Neglected: Staff with workplace adjustments are often pressured to ignore them for operational convenience. Funeral teams are frequently understaffed, leading to unsafe manual handling situations.
Union Concerns: USDAW is perceived by many as being too closely aligned with management. Pay negotiations and safety concerns are not always robustly supported, and staff feel pressured to accept subpar offers.
No Incentive to Progress: Management roles offer little financial reward compared to frontline positions. Managers are expected to be available 24/7, with severe consequences for missing calls, making progression unattractive.
Cultural Imbalance: There is a strong emphasis on progressive values, which can feel exclusionary to those with differing views, including religious beliefs. Diversity and inclusion efforts sometimes appear to outweigh merit and experience.
