Causes and Countermeasure of Job Burnout of Funeral Workers from the Perspective of Public Management in Anhui Province, China

Abstract

Background and Aim: The purposes of this study were 1) to study the causes of job burnout of funeral workers from the perspective of public management in Anhui Province.2) to study the countermeasures of job burnout of funeral workers from the perspective of public management in Anhui Province and 3) to study the recommendations of job burnout of funeral workers from the perspective of public management in Anhui Province. In this study, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 8 funeral practitioners from 4 funeral institutions in Anhui province (taking 4 funeral institutions in Hefei, Anhui Province as examples). Materials and Methods: Through interviews with key informants who represented a range of roles within the funeral industry and a focus on four funeral agencies, the study carefully investigated the funeral industry in Anhui Province. Eight people—funeral directors, cremators, embalming surgeons, funeral attendants, and people who handle remains—provided insights between 2023 and 2023, offering a thorough picture of the dynamics and practices of the industry in the area. Results: (1) The causes of job burnout of funeral workers from the perspective of public management in Anhui Province on the whole are under great pressure. The social prejudice against the funeral profession and the oppressive working environment. (2) In terms of personal characteristics, funeral workers have significant differences in their work stress responses due to differences in gender, age, working hours, and specific work content; In terms of education level, marital status, and position, there is no significant difference in work stress response of funeral workers. (3) From the analysis of various dimensions of work stress sources for funeral workers, the five dimensions of workload, colleague relationship, work environment, family relationship, and social 2influence have significant predictive effects on the overall work stress response. Conclusion:  Funeral workers in Anhui Province experience severe job burnout as a result of social prejudice, oppressive working conditions, and a variety of personal issues. Workload, colleague relationships, the work environment, family dynamics, and social influence all have a significant impact on work stress, and reactions vary by gender, age, and job type.