FAMIC Leads Profession-Wide Effort to Tackle Funeral Service Workforce Crisis

New video series offers peer-driven solutions to help funeral homes recruit and retain staff 

Brookfield, Wis. – The Funeral and Memorial Information Council (FAMIC), in collaboration with its member associations, has taken a proactive step in addressing one of the funeral profession’s most urgent challenges: attracting and keeping qualified employees. Today, FAMIC announced the release of Hiring and Retention: Tips from Your Colleagues, a new video series featuring real-world solutions from funeral home owners and managers from throughout the United State and across the globe. 

“Recruiting and retaining qualified staff isn’t just a challenge, it’s one of the greatest threats to the future of funeral service,” said Chris Robinson, president of the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA). “As associations, we have a responsibility to lead with action and provide practical tools our members can use right now. This video series is a tangible example of how NFDA and its FAMIC partners are working together to help funeral homes build strong, sustainable teams.” 

The 13-video series, hosted on FAMIC’s YouTube channel, features 12 short videos, each spotlighting practical strategies being used by funeral home owners and managers to recruit and retain high-quality employees.  A final compilation video brings the best insights together in a single resource. Topics include mental health and well-being, creating inclusive workplace cultures, and community-based recruitment. 

“Our members are constantly asking, ‘What’s working, and how can we learn from each other?’ This series answers that call,” said Christopher Waite, incoming chair of Selected Independent Funeral Homes (Selected). “By sharing candid insights from real funeral directors, who face the same challenges and are finding creative ways to overcome them, we’re helping firms move from frustration to forward momentum.” 

The funeral professionals who made time to share advice with their colleagues include:

• Eric Bliley, Richmond, Virginia
• Jim Busch, Cleveland, Ohio
• Colin Haskett, Ontario, Canada
• Bettina Jose, Manila, Philippines
• Jimmi Anne Lowe Ellington, Burlington, North Carolina
• Carmalita March-Harris, Baltimore, Maryland
• Adam Martin, Mount Morris, Michigan
• Leili McMurrough, Chicago, Illinois
• Larnique Mickens, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Emily Nelson, Denver, Colorado
• Marcus Nelson, Spooner, Wisconsin
• Lori Pray, Charlotte, Michigan

Tips range from small, impactful actions, like hosting quarterly staff lunches, daily check-ins and redistributing workloads, to long-term strategies such as building recruitment pipelines through job fairs, social media and partnerships with hospice professionals. 

“This effort reflects what our profession needs most right now – leadership, collaboration and real-world solutions,” said Kim Hunter, president of the International Order of the Golden Rule (OGR). “Through FAMIC, we’ve harnessed the insight and experience of funeral professionals who are finding success, and we’re making that knowledge available to everyone. It’s a powerful example of how associations can work together to move the profession forward.” 

The video series is part of FAMIC’s broader mission to provide valuable information and education to the profession. The videos will be promoted by NFDA, Selected and OGR through email, social media and their websites. 

Watch the full series on the FAMIC YouTube channel: YouTube.com/@FAMIC_Tips. 

About FAMIC 

The Funeral and Memorial Information Council is an association of associations representing all facets of the deathcare profession. With members including the National Funeral Directors Association, Selected Independent Funeral Homes and the International Order of the Golden Rule, FAMIC serves as a unified voice and a leading provider of education and information. Its mission is to support informed consumers and funeral professionals who value meaningful memorialization. # # #