The Determinants of Wellness Among Funeral Industry Workers in the Vhembe District Municipality

Authors

  • Mulisa Ndou Author
  • Thapelo Moloi Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.421

Keywords:

Wellness, Funeral Sector, Employees, Vhembe, South Africa

Abstract

This study examined the determinants of wellness among funeral sector employees in Vhembe District Municipality of Limpopo province in South Africa. The emotional, physical, and psychological demands of the funeral industry present special difficulties for employees, frequently resulting in stress and burnout. This qualitative study utilised 12 semi-structured interviews, conducted with participants selected through purposive sampling. This sampling method was chosen to ensure that only individuals with relevant experience, such as employees directly involved in handling corpses and those with at least 12 months of uninterrupted service, were included. Thematic analysis a popular qualitative technique for finding, examining, and interpreting patterns in data, was used to analyse the data. Through a methodical analysis of the interview transcripts, important themes about coping strategies, emotional support, and wellness treatments were discovered as key findings of the study.

References

Bakker, A. B., & de Vries, J. D. (2020). Job demands-resources theory and self-regulation: New explanations and remedies for job burnout. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping,33(4), 357-373.

Bakker, A. B., & de Vries, J. D. (2021). Job demands-resources theory and self-regulation: New explanations and remedies for job burnout. Anxiety, Stress, & Coping, 34(1), 1-21.

Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The Job Demands-Resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309-328.

Barton, D., & Cole, R. (2021). Building resilience in emotionally demanding professions: Strategies for mental health and well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 26(3), 205–217.

Barton, P., & Cole, S. (2021). The role of peer support in managing emotional burnout in high-stress occupations. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 26(2), 213-225.

Barton, R., & Cole, M. (2021). Strategies for preventing burnout: Psychological insights for employee well-being. Journal of Occupational Health, 63(3), 152-168.

Bazeley, P., & Jackson, K. (2013). Qualitative data analysis with NVivo (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology,3(2), 77-101.

Burke, R. J. (2010). Workplace stress and well-being: The effects on health, relationships, and performance. Springer Science & Business Media.

Cartwright, S., & Cooper, C. L. (1997). Managing workplace stress. Sage Publications.

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge.

Collins, J., & Hussey, R. (2009). Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students (3rd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Colombo, L., Riva, S., & Carnaghi, A. (2019). Psychological resilience and well-being among funeral directors. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(2), 152-161.

Cooper, C. L., & Cartwright, S. (1994). Healthy mind; healthy organization: A proactive approach to occupational stress. Human Relations, 47(4), 455-471.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage Publications.

Demerouti, E., Bakker, A. B., Nachreiner, F., & Schaufeli, W. B. (2001). The Job Demands-Resources model of burnout. Journal of Applied Psychology,86(3), 499-512.

Donnelly, M., & Thompson, M. (2012). The psychological and emotional consequences of working in the funeral industry. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(1), 64-75.

Dutta, R., & Kaur, P. (2015). Death anxiety and its correlates among funeral workers. Death Studies,39(10), 593-598.

Dyregrov, A., Dyregrov, K., & Raundalen, M. (1996). Positive effects of exposure to death: A study of funeral directors. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying,33(3), 209-220.

Engelbrecht, M. C., & van Rensburg, H. C. (2020). Social support and job satisfaction among community health workers in South Africa: The mediating role of job demands. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 894.

Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research (6thed.). Sage Publications.

Friese, S. (2014). Qualitative data analysis with ATLAS.ti (2nded.). SAGE Publications.

Goldenhar, L. M., Swanson, N. G., Hurrell, J. J., Ruder, A., & Deddens, J. (2001). Stressors and adverse outcomes for female construction workers. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 6(2), 99-107.

Guest, G., MacQueen, K. M., & Namey, E. E. (2011). Applied thematic analysis. Sage Publications.

Guidetti, G., Converso, D., & Viotti, S. (2021). Well-being and work among funeral home employees: The role of occupational identity. Frontiers in Psychology,12, 685-696.

Harrawood, L. K., White, L. J., & Benshoff, J. J. (2008). Death anxiety in a national sample of United States funeral directors and its relationship with death exposure, age, and sex. Omega: Journal of Death and Dying,57(4), 335-349.

Harris, L. L., & Johnson, A. D. (2017). Grief and resilience: Training and support for funeral workers. Death Studies, 41(5), 319-327.

Harris, T., & Johnson, L. (2017). Grief management and trauma debriefing in the funeral industry. Journal of Mental Health in High-Stress Occupations, 45(2), 98–112.

Hobfoll, S. E. (1989). Conservation of resources: A new attempt at conceptualising stress. American Psychologist,44(3), 513-524.

Israel, M., & Hay, I. (2006). Research ethics for social scientists. Sage Publications.

Jackson, L. T. B., Rothmann, S., & Van de Vijver, F. J. R. (2006). A model of work-related well-being for educators in South Africa. Stress and Health, 22(4), 263-274.

Jordaan, D., & Joseph, N. (2021). The stigma of funeral industry work: A qualitative analysis of perceptions and attitudes. Journal of Vocational Behaviour, 122, 103462.

Kawakami, N., Araki, S., & Kawashima, M. (1999). The effects of job stress on mental health and work-related health outcomes in the funeral industry. Occupational Medicine, 49(2), 59-65.

King, N., & Brooks, J. (2017). Template analysis for business and management students. Sage Publications.

Klingberg, S., & Bergman, H. (2002). Coping strategies and mental health in employees in high-stress occupations: A review. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 7(2), 140-156.

Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2005). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(1), 11-21.

Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2006). The positive and negative effects of disaster work: A review. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 10(4), 265-279.

Martini, M., Converso, D., & Galantino, E. (2019a). Occupational stress and job satisfaction among funeral directors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,16(19), 3574.

Martini, M., Converso, D., & Viotti, S. (2019b). Organizational identification and occupational health among funeral directors. Safety and Health at Work, 10(4), 518-523.

Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2016). Burnout and engagement: Contributions to a new vision of work stress. American Psychologist, 71(7), 634–648.

Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative research design: An interactive approach (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.

Mellor, D. (2003). Psychological well-being in high-stress occupations: The role of social support. Psychology and Health, 18(5), 697-709.

Mellor, N. (2003). Enhancing well-being through leadership: Organisational strategies for employee support. Leadership Quarterly, 14(2), 129–149.

Mertens, D. M. (2015). Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural Research. (1979). The Belmont Report: Ethical principles and guidelines for the protection of human subjects of research.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods: Integrating theory and practice. Sage Publications.

Pinheiro, P., Mota-Cardoso, R., & Oliveira, A. (2012). The influence of death exposure on mental health: A study of funeral workers. Psychiatry Research, 198(3), 515-518.

Pretorius, T., & Rothmann, S. (2019). The relationship between social support and well-being in healthcare workers: A cross-sectional study. South African Journal of Psychology,49(3), 429-441.

Roche, M., White, K. M., & Malone, G. P. (2022). The psychosocial implications of working with death: The role of occupational identity and emotional resilience among funeral directors. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 27(1), 36-49.

Rothmann, S. (2008). Job demands, job resources, and occupational outcomes in South African police officers. Psychological,42(1), 23-39.

Saldana, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rded.). Sage Publications.

Samson, T., & Shvartzman, P. (2018). Secondary traumatic stress and related symptoms among healthcare workers. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,15(9), 1895.

Sandelowski, M. (2000). Focus on research methods: Whatever happened to qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334-340.

Stebbins, R. A. (2001). Exploratory research in the social sciences. Sage Publications.

Ting, J. L., & Lee, Y. K. (2012). Physical health initiatives in high-demand professions: Addressing occupational stress. Journal of Workplace Ergonomics, 25(4), 207–221.

Ting, Y., & Lee, R. (2012). The impact of physical health on job performance in the funeral industry. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 17(3), 293-302.

Tongco, M. D. C. (2007). Purposive sampling as a tool for informant selection. Ethnobotany Research & Applications,5, 147-158.

Van Overmeiere, R., Bilsen, J., & Stroobants, S. (2021). Psychological resilience and coping mechanisms among funeral directors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders,292, 465-473.

Van Overmeire, R., & Bilsen, J. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on mental health and well-being of funeral directors. Psychiatry Research,290, 113-117.

Wiles, R. (2012). What are qualitative research ethics? Bloomsbury Academic.

World Medical Association. (2013). World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA,310(20), 2191-2194.

Yin, R. K. (2017). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage Publications.

Zara, J., & Reiter, S. (2019). Mental health literacy in the workplace: A focus on industries with high emotional demands. Journal of Workplace Behavioural Health, 34(3), 182-194.

Zara, R., & Reiter, E. (2019). Tackling stigma in mental health through organisational strategies. Psychological Services, 16(1), 54–63.

Zimmermann, C., Rodin, G., & Seccareccia, D. (2011). The effectiveness of specialised psychological interventions for the terminally ill. American Journal of Psychiatry,168(12), 1237-1244.

Downloads

Published

2025-11-07

How to Cite

Ndou, M., & Moloi, T. (2025). The Determinants of Wellness Among Funeral Industry Workers in the Vhembe District Municipality. International Journal of Applied Research in Business and Management, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.421

Most read articles by the same author(s)