Funeral Profession Career Exit Survey
We appreciate your participation. This survey aims to understand the reasons why individuals leave the funeral profession. Your insights will help improve support and retention in this field. You will need about 10 minutes to complete the survey. Thank you for your important contribution to our understanding of why people leave the funeral services profession.
Demographic Information
Please provide some basic information about yourself.
How old are you?
18-25
26-35
36-45
46-55
56-65
Gender
Male
Female
Non-Binary
Trans Male
Trans Female
Trans Male
Prefer Not To Say
Which Country do you reside in?
Canada
USA
South America
United Kingdom/Europe
Africa
Middle East
Western Europe
China
Japan
Other
Which of the following describes your ethnic background?
White/Caucasian
Black/African American
Asian
Hispanic/Latinx
Native American/Indigenous
Middle Eastern/North African
Other
Prefer not to say
Do you identify as LGBTQ+?
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
Section 2: Professional Background
Tell us about your experience in the funeral profession.
How many years did you work in the profession?
Under 5 years
5-10 years
10-15 years
15-20 years
Over 20 years
Current Role When working in the Funeral Profession
Please Select
Funeral Director
Embalmer
Cremation Specialist
Administrative Staff
Celebrant
Funeral Director's Assistant
Removal/Transfer Staff
Funeral Pre Planning
Apprentice
Support Staff
Other
What type of firm did you work for when you left?
Family Run
Corporate Chain
Independent/Group Owners
Other
Approximately how many licensed funeral directors/embalmers (including yourself) worked at your primary location that you left?
1-5
6-10
11-20
More than 20
Do you currently work in the funeral profession?
Yes
No
Part-Time
Student
What kind of geographical location did you work in?
Rural
Metropolitan (Urban Center)
Suburban
International (like IMS)
What kind of death care facility did you work in? Check all that apply.
Funeral Home
Cremation Center
Cemetery
Pre-Need Insurance Company
Trade Service
International Trade Service Company
Transfer Service
Alternative Burial Society/Natural Burial Company
Aquamation Center
Section 3: Job and Responsibilities:
For each question, please rate your answer from 1-5 (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neutral, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree).
My job goals and objectives were clear
My job duties matched my skills and interests
The workload and pace of my job was manageable
I felt adequately recognized and appreciated for my work.
I had sufficient opportunities to grow and learn in my practice.
Work Environment and Culture
For each question, please rate your answer from 1-5 (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neutral, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree).
I felt comfortable and safe in my workplace.
My team/department collaborated effectively with others.
My direct manager communicated effectively with me.
My direct manager was supportive of my professional growth and development.
Senior management demonstrated organizational values and culture
I felt that emotional intelligence was generally high among my colleagues and management.
Compensation and Benefits
For each question, please rate your answer from 1-5 (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neutral, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree).
I was satisfied with my pay and benefits.
My pay and benefits were competitive to other organizations in the industry.
I was aware of the full range of benefits available to me.
The benefits provided (health insurance, retirement, mental health support) adequately met my needs.
Professional Development and Career Growth
For each question, please rate your answer from 1-5 (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neutral, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree).
I was given enough opportunities to develop my skills.
I was satisfied with the training and development programs provided.
There were sufficient opportunities for career advancement within the organization.
The company supported and encouraged my pursuit of new opportunities within the company or profession.
Mental Health and Well-Being Support
For each question, please rate your answer from 1-5 (1 strongly disagree, 2 disagree, 3 neutral, 4 agree, 5 strongly agree).
The demands of my job significantly impacted my mental health.
The demands of my job significantly impacted my physical health.
My employer provided adequate resources or support for mental health and stress management.
My employer encouraged healthy work-life balance and self care - and taught me how to self care.
Overall Experience and Future Intentions:
Scale of 1-10 - with 10 being very satisfied.
How satisfied were you with your job overall?
How likely would you recommend working in the funeral profession to others?
How likely would you return to the profession if conditions improved?
Section 4: Reasons for Leaving
Please select the reasons that influenced your decision to leave.
Main reasons for leaving - check the three main reasons you left.
Work-life balance issues
Ready to transition to another career
Stress and emotional toll
Limited career growth
Low compensation
Lack of support or recognition
Health issues
Mental Health issues
Harassment/Bullying
Relocation
Retired
Toxic work environments
Management Culture (micro managers, angry/hostile work interactions)
Were you ever physically injured on the job while working as a funeral professional?
Yes
No
What would have made you stay? Check the top three
Income
More career opportunity
Flexible work schedules
More incentives/better benefits
Clear career growth
Happier managers
Other
If other, please specify:
Were you ever diagnosed with a mental health condition as a result of your employment with a funeral home (Depression, anxiety, PTSD, Compassion Fatigue, etc)
Yes
No
I know I had mental health issues, but was never diagnosed (as a result of being a funeral professional)
Was physical injury or mental health injury a reason for leaving the profession?
Yes
No
Sort of
What kind of work do you do now?
Please Select
Teaching
Trade work (electrical, plumber, etc)
Grad School
Professional (accounting, lawyer, etc)
Medical/Health Care
Social Services
Administration
Self Employed
Disability/Long Term Sick Leave
If 'Other', please specify.
It can be hard to capture everyone's reasons for leaving, so perhaps we missed some options. Can you tell us briefly why you left the funeral profession?
Section 4: Feedback and Suggestions
Your feedback is valuable to us.
Please give us any feedback regarding this survey in terms of any relevant information that we may not be capturing.
Submit Survey
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