Funeral Directors and Managers - Working Conditions

In a typical work setting, funeral directors and managers:

Have a very high level of job-required social interaction.
Communicate by letters, telephone, or in person on a daily basis. They communicate less often by e-mail.
Regularly work in a group or as part of a team.
Are responsible for the results and outcomes of the work of others.
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Are responsible for the health and safety of workers.
May have to deal with unpleasant or discourteous individuals. Funeral matters can be emotionally draining.

Often work indoors. May work outdoors to direct burials.
Regularly work in an enclosed vehicle, such as a van or hearse.
Sometimes wear protective attire, such as gloves and surgical gowns.
Are exposed to diseases or infections on a weekly basis. Funeral directors come into close contact with corpses.
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Are regularly exposed to contaminants.
Work close to others, usually within a few feet.

Must perform a job accurately.
Regularly make decisions that strongly impact the reputation of the company. Funeral parlors often rely on reputation and word-of-mouth to attract customers.
Make decisions that affect others on a daily basis. Funeral directors rarely consult others before deciding on actions.
Set most tasks and priorities for the day without consulting anyone.
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Abide by strict deadlines on a daily basis. They also need to be aware of competition.
May repeat the same activities.

May work business hours, along with odd hours when a death occurs.
Most work 40 hours per week or more. The nature of the funeral business is unpredictable and there may be slow and busy times.
May work on an on-call basis.
May work evenings and weekends.