The impact of Covid-19 on the wellbeing of funeral parlour employees.

Abstract

The calamitous effect of COVID-19 has led to a global health and economic crisis. Funeral industry workers risk developing severe mental health issues such as depression and anxiety as they are overexposed to death, stressful working situations and fear of being infected with the Coronavirus. The research sought to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on employee wellbeing of funeral parlour employees as they are exposed to death and funerals which is exacerbated in times of pandemics. The study utilised the wellbeing theory to explain wellbeing as a balance juncture between available resources with challenges encountered; if the imbalance is experienced, wellbeing is negatively affected. The study employed a Quantitative research approach underpinned by two research instruments: structured interviews and a self-administered questionnaire The probability sampling technique employed to select the sample size is the simple random sampling. The sample size of the study will consist of 62 respondents from two funeral parlours operating in eThekwini Municipality. The data collected was analysed and statistics captured in the form of graphs. The data captured from 62 respondents was subjected to computer analysis. Funeral parlor employees have been overly exposed to death as a results of increased deaths during the pandemic and thereby the risk of contracting the virus also increased. The findings revealed that COVID-19 had a negative impact on the physical well-being of funeral parlour employees as they had exhibited symptoms of stress, exhaustion, and general sickness. Funeral parlor employees operate during a challenging time as their physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing is adversely impacting thus increasing the demands of the job. Strengthening wellness programmes is imperative in ensuring that the adverse effect of the Corona virus on employee wellbeing is minimised. It is proposed that funeral parlours develop wellness strategies as a proactive measure to manage employee wellbeing and mitigate the mental health issues on productivity and performance. Furthermore, education is key in the management of COVID-19 is important for as it aids in ensuring that personnel understand their responsibilities.