Just the other morning I read two articles from Yahoo Finance which showed a couple of trends happening in American society.  The first trend can be read about in this article titled “There are more Americans out of work than their are jobs open for the first time since 2021″.

And the second article, that you can read about here, was titled “Retail spending is starting to look more and more like the labor market“.  Among other interesting facts the article makes this comment, “Consumers in the top 10% of the income distribution accounted for 49.2% of total spending in the second quarter, registering the highest level recorded since 1989.”

Reading those articles made me think about Death Care and how these economic indicators might come to play in the Death Care world.  While the ramifications of these indicators is wide, I have some thoughts that may or may not be correct assumptions.  I think the big take-away is simply to be aware of what is happening in our economic sphere and be prepared to respond with business decisions as you need to.

Labor —  Here is a quote from the first article concerning employment, “Unemployed workers are staying out of work for longer, even as layoffs remain low.  This suggests the shift is less about an increase in people losing jobs and more about a decline in job openings.  In other words, the challenge right now lies less in job security for those already employed and more in the difficulty of reentering the labor market once you’re out of it.”

In the funeral director and/or mortician sphere finding quality help continues to remain one of the top concerns of funeral home owners and managers in almost every survey that comes out.  And, the latest latest job placement statistics I have is that in 2024 there were 2,106 graduates of mortuary science schools across the U.S. and 84% of them found employment.

I’m wondering if emloyment is “tightening up” among funeral homes and if it is that may bode well for companies in keeping their personnel costs from increasing at a higher than inflationary rate.

I’m also wondering if a decline in job openings in other occupations might spur more people to look to funeral service.  Many people who don’t understand all the nuances of funeral service look to the profession as one with a “secure” future.  Latest statistics also tell me that there were 3,363 new enrollees in funeral service programs so, I believe that, the pipeline looks good for future employees.

It very well could be that a tight job market in other occupations brings a better outlook for funeral home owners and managers as more and more people may look to enter the Death Care field.  With demograpahic indicators suggesting that the number of deaths in America will rise over the next 10-20 years, this would be welcome news to the profession.

Disparity of Consumer Spending — There is a lot to document that the wealthiest in our society are spending more and the lower end of the economic population is spending less as inflation keeps a hold on an elevated number.  Many economists suggest the United States economy is on a “K-shaped” recovery method as those who have extra assets that are invested are gaining at a greater than average rate and those with less or no invested assets are seeing buying-power erode  —  hence, the statement from above where “Consumers in the top 10% of the income distribution accounted for 49.2% of total spending. . .”

One of the easiest areas to see this is in the hotel sales sphere —-  Here’s what one economist suggested, “That lower-income households are seeing weaker income growth is one explanation for why demand is weakening for the most affordable lodging options.”  So as low-cost hotel chains such as Choice and Wyndham are having difficult times the more luxurious chains such as Hyatt, Hilton, and Marriott seem to be doing just fine.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

So, what does that disparity of consumer spending mean for funeral homes?  You might argue that those with lower means will feel financially unsecure at the time of death and opt for lower priced services such as direct cremation.  I don’t necessarily think that is true because there are so many variables in the choice of Death Care disposition and so many personal opinions and choices.  While in-hand assets will make a difference to many at the time of death not everybody will lower their choice standards because of a temporary lack of available funds.

I’m not so sure that funeral homes can survive a “K-shaped” economic recovery “if” only about 10% of the populous does almost 50% of the death-care spending.  In an economy where the other 90% of the population spends the other 50% I’m not so sure that those Death Care services would bring much in the way of margins.  That’s why it is imperative that funeral homes can give options to families who may be temporarily low on funds because of an economy that is costing them more than normal for simple-living necessities.

Will this situation lead to more crowd-funding such is available with the funeral service profession’s expert at such Treasured Memories Community Funding?  I don’t know, but it would probably be wise for all funeral homes to know how to access that option for those client families that may need the help.

Funeral homes are a different business. . . one in which one person equals one death call — and where each death call equals only one purchase.  Other areas of the economy could have one person buying six televisions or one person buying three cars.

In a world where cars or televisions are sold all that really matters is that enough are sold to be profitable. . . . .In the funeral home business the number of deaths (and sales) are finite at one per person and in a country where there is greater wealth inequality than prior years, forcing lower-priced choices by the masses, would probably not be as lucrative as it once was for those businesses.  In that sphere it becomes necessary that all families are able to access the funds necessary for the services that they prefer  —  if they can’t do that, that doesn’t bode well for those businesses who depend on the margins provided by those services.

My dad used to say that “Blue-Collar” families are the backbone of funeral service.  As the middle-class of America seems to be shrinking in lieu of wealth on one hand and financial struggle on the other hand, who will become the backbone of funeral service?  That’s maybe a great question.

More news from the world of Death Care:

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,201 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

The middle of the month has crept up on us again. . . and in Minnesota we are finally getting around to golf season.  On about the 15th of each month Funeral Director Daily highlights our top read articles of the past thirty days and we have some great ones for you. . ..

. . . . these articles cover trends, transformations, private equity, and consumer choices and by reading the articles you will be gaining valuable knowledge that might pay off for you own funeral home.  With no further introduction here are the Top 5 read articles on Funeral Director Daily since April 15.

1. SCI’s “Non-funeral home” revenue is growing fast. . . .  What can we learn?
2. The transformation of Batesville
3. The Segmented Purchase Consumer:  Are funeral homes ready?
4. Private Equity makes investment in Alkaline Hydrolysis
5. The Cremation Aftermarket:  Here’s a great idea to spur interest and sales.  

Enter your e-mail below to join the 3,164 others who receive Funeral Director Daily articles daily:

“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Johnson Consulting Group’s Volume 8 of the Performance Tracker X Trends and Insights Report Now Available

[Scottsdale, Arizona]: Johnson Consulting Group (JCG) has officially released their Volume 8, 2025 Performance Tracker X Trends and Insights Report, Powered by J3Tech Solutions. 

Performance Tracker X is the complete customer service management tool that evaluates staff and financial performance by sending out surveys to families to get real-time, accurate feedback for a funeral business to make data-driven decisions. 

Each year JCG analyzes every survey that goes through their system to determine what today’s families need and where the profession is headed. Of 135,100 total contracts entered into the system in 2024, they analyzed 113,921 sales and survey data records.  

Some key takeaways from their recent findings include:

• Survey response results: 9.5% of completed surveys generate actionable leads, with an average response rate of 36.7%. This is a total of 5,433 leads generated in 2024. 

• ICPs increase revenue and satisfaction: Per the data, Incentive Compensation Programs do boost revenue and customer satisfaction.

• Cremation is gaining ground: All cremation case types have higher customer satisfaction scores than any burial case types, indicating a shift in family preferences. This could also suggest an exceptional effort being put forth by funeral professionals to enhance customer satisfaction for cremation families.

• Low NPS (Net Promoter Score) for pre-planning: Pre-planned funeral arrangements have the lowest NPS score compared to other reasons for choosing a funeral home.

The report is available to download for FREE.

“It has been said that…If you take care of the families, they will take care of you!…To this end, it’s a privilege to annually present this critical report to our profession,” says Jake Johnson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson Consulting Group. “The customer experience remains central to every facet of funeral service, and this report offers invaluable insights for owners and operators, providing a comprehensive understanding of the evolving priorities of today’s families.”

About Johnson Consulting Group and Performance Tracker X: 

The JCG Performance Tracker X tool provides funeral homes, cemeteries, and cremation operations with timely, accurate measurements of customer service and sales performance. Through sending out surveys that allow for direct family feedback, the software offers comprehensive reporting that shows business owners what they are doing well and identifying the areas that need fine-tuning and improvements to increase enterprise value and profitability.

Johnson Consulting Group started its customer survey program in 2008 with continual improvement key to its success as a premier customer survey platform in the funeral space. This growing amount of survey data has proven invaluable for providing insight into customer needs and satisfaction. The company attributes its rapid growth based on its ability to offer the program with no contract to sign, a low monthly cost and accessibility to its experienced Consultants for interpretation and usefulness of the reports.

Make These 2025 Hiring & Retention Trends Work for Your Funeral Home

Year after year, respondents to the Connecting Directors Deathcare Survey rank hiring and keeping the right employees as one of their biggest challenges. Industry supporters are working hard to tackle this issue from all angles, from easing educational and licensing requirements to helping businesses identify potential applicant groups, but the problem persists. 

Deathcare is unique, and certainly requires employees to possess a special set of personal and professional characteristics. Even so, it should be possible to glean tips or lessons from human resources experts’ latest surveys and predictions for hiring and retention trends in 2025. Here are a few of those trends — and ways they can help any funeral home, crematory, or cemetery to fill a position (or keep someone from leaving).

Forbes recently shared the results of two separate surveys that prove that helping your employees become lifelong learners will help them remain YOUR  employees, rather than someone else’s. From these surveys came two facts to remember:

Encouraging your team to continue learning and growing has to become a priority, and there are lots of ways to facilitate this — and it doesn’t always have to cost your firm an arm and a leg. For example, you could establish a mentorship or job shadowing program or peer-to-peer knowledge exchange; chances are you’re already doing this informally to some degree, but formalizing and promoting this as a benefit can help recruitment. 

Additionally, letting your folks out of the funeral home to attend industry conventions, workshops, or seminars can do wonders for morale in addition to skill-building. Deathcare organizations offer all sorts of scholarship opportunities (watch Connecting Directors for industry press releases when these become available), and you could help them apply or provide a recommendation. Another option is to set up a time after-hours at the office or elsewhere to watch online webinars with your team (snacks and cocktails might be a nice addition!). When your folks know you support their growth and learning, they’ll know you care about keeping them.

Deathcare is probably one of the handful of careers that isn’t threatened by the specter of artificial intelligence; AI can never take your jobs. However, AI and other technologies can certainly make several aspects of your workload easier, safer, and more streamlined in ways that your current and potential employees will certainly appreciate.

Think about it: AI-powered obituary writers, programs that create designer-level memorials and videos at the touch of a button, online arrangement tools, and API-connected case management software that lessens data entry time can be game-changers, not only for your team, but also for families. Also, tech-based chain of custody systems can ease worries about potential mistakes. 

“Work-life balance” and “remote work” are two phrases most deathcare professionals would not use to describe their favorite employment perks —  because their jobs usually don’t seem to offer either one. Deaths don’t only occur during office hours, and despite all the emerging technology, most people still prefer to attend arrangement meetings and funerals in person. However, along with mental well-being and a higher salary (we won’t go into that one), these are today’s job-seekers’ most desired benefits, according to Gallup.

Believe it or not, it is possible for funeral homes and cemeteries to provide versions of these benefits to their teams. Offering a “flexible” schedule that allows employees time to attend to personal needs by coming in later and covering more of the evening hours, working in four-hour blocks instead of strict eight-hour shifts, offering four-day work weeks, and rotating on-call hours and weekends. Sure, traditional office hours are the easiest to schedule, but as long as families are properly served, does it really matter if someone leaves from 2 to 3 p.m. to attend a kid’s school play? “Flexible” is a word that carries a lot of weight in a job description.

As for mental health support, simply recognizing that the people on your team need it is a huge step. The days of sucking up your feelings and internalizing your concerns are gone; applicants for deathcare positions are well aware of the mental and emotional impact of the job, and they want to know that you’re aware, too. If your health insurance plan doesn’t cover therapy or other mental health benefits, which is ideal, encourage your employees to take advantage of the mental health support offered by industry organizations like CANA’s virtual Funeral Professionals Peer Support meetings, NFDA’s SupportLinc Member Assistance Program, or the Funeral Service Foundation’s self-care resources. 

According to Korn Ferry, a global talent group, skills-based hiring, or prioritizing the critical skills that will help a business innovate and grow, was a “go-to” hiring strategy for 2024 that will only gain momentum in 2025. However, employers must first identify the specific skills that are most critical to each job before you can evaluate an applicant’s level of proficiency. This can be accomplished by creating thorough job descriptions that are customized to your facility’s specific needs. Start with a template (like this one from the Society of Human Resources Professionals) and pull ideas from other current online postings for similar jobs (like the ones on Deathcarejobs.com). Then, add your own requirements based on your observations of a typical day on the job, the skills possessed by your star employee, or just things you know you need.

When it comes time to screen applicants and conduct interviews, use the job description to identify which requirements are the “critical skills” that will best help your business grow. While resumes, mortuary school transcripts, and personal recommendations can help you gauge a person’s aptitude, there are other tools that can help you determine if someone possesses the other qualities you need, including personality assessments (16pf, DiSC, Myers-Briggs, CliftonStrengths, and Enneagram are just a few), communication skills assessments, cognitive ability assessments (Wonderlic), honesty and integrity tests (Stanton Survey), etc. The Funeral Service Foundation’s quiz “Is a Career in Funeral Service Right For You?  is also a great all-encompassing option for applicant testing.

Even though taking the time to test or further evaluate applicants for critical skills elongates the hiring process, it does help you weed out applicants that may give great interviews, but may not be good employees in the long run.

Green funerals. 

A topic gaining HUGE momentum amongst client families. 

It seems like everyone is talking about mushroom burial suits and turning themselves into a tree when they die, these days.

As much as the buzz means some true and real change is needed in the funeral profession, there are also challenges to doing things differently than we’ve always done them. 

So is it worth it to explore these trends?

Our short answer: yes. 

But we’re not ones to just tell you what we think without telling you why we think like that. 

So let’s dive into some of the risks traditional cremation & burial pose, and the compelling opportunities green funerals present:

The current state of traditional cremation

#1: Cremation is the most popular disposition option in the US, with 56.1% of people choosing it (source).

Cremation offers a more affordable alternative to traditional burial. However…

#2: Traditional cremation produces 1.74 billion pounds of CO2 emissions annually in the United States (source).

#3: Cremation releases toxic chemicals into the air and water such as mercury and creates byproducts of nitrogen oxide, dioxins, and particulates (source).

#4: Not only does cremation put the environment at risk, but its workers too. In fact, cremation workers have a higher than average incidence of COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), respiratory diseases, and neurological disorders (source).

#5: One single cremation emits as much gas as a 500 mile car trip (source).

Turns out America’s favorite disposition method brings some major environmental concerns.

Facts about traditional burials

According to the Green Burial Council, annually, conventional burials in the United States use approximately…

• 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid (827,060 gallons of which is formaldehyde, methanol, and benzene)
• 20 million board feet of hardwoods (including rainforest woods)
• 1.6 million tons of concrete
• 17,000 tons of copper and bronze
• and 64,500 tons of steel

In addition to all the bad news above, traditional burial workers, and embalmers in particular, have a 13% higher death rate, are at 8x higher risk for leukemia, and 3x higher risk for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) compared to the general population (sources 1, 2 & 3).

So we get it. Traditional cremation and burial are pretty unsustainable for the environment long term. But if changing gears seems unrealistic right now, is it really worth shifting your offerings? Let’s explore this very question below.

The demand for green funerals

Green funerals. Is there really a demand? Let’s look at the facts:

According to a survey from the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), 72% of cemeteries are reporting an increased demand for green burial practices. 

According to another NFDA survey, around 61% of people would be interested in exploring “greener” funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits and cost savings.

If that’s not reason enough, let’s look at the revenue numbers. In 2021, the global green funerals market size was $571.54 million…and it’s expected to reach $1214.53 million revenue by 2030 (source).

So it seems there is an opportunity for helping out Mother Earth, and also tapping into a very sought out market.

Convinced to reconsider tapping into these green funeral trends? 

Whether you’ve just lost someone or you’re a funeral home owner, let’s dive into these 4 green funeral trends: 

The green alternatives to traditional burial & cremation

Green Funeral Trend #1: Simple Green Burial

What it is: According to the Green Burial Council, a green burial is:

A way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat. Green burial necessitates the use of non-toxic and biodegradable materials, such as caskets, shrouds, and urns.

Some common types of green burial options:

• Simple Wooden Casket
• Cardboard Containers
• Woven Caskets
• Shrouds
• Tree pods

Although most of these options are pretty self explanatory, one worth mentioning that works a bit differently is called Capsula Mundi Tree Pods. Although still in concept phase, these tree pods make it possible for you to literally become a tree when you die.

All of these options offer families a way to respectfully bury their dead, but without all the chemicals, toxic waste and resources it takes to build a traditional coffin. 

Interested in learning more about green burial options? Check out the thought leaders on the topic such as Green Burial Society and Green Burial Council to learn more about your options.

Interesting fact: At this point in time, nearly 54 percent of Americans are considering a green burial. There has been a large increase in the number of folks desiring green burial practices over the years. 

Green Funeral Trend #2: Mushroom Burial Suits

What it is: According to this publication, a Mushroom Burial suit is:

A biodegradable burial shroud made from mushroom spores. The spores are designed to help decompose the body and filter toxins from it, so it does not contaminate surrounding plant life after a body is buried in it”.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a cave the last 7 years, you may have heard of the new green burial option everyone is talking about: the mushroom burial suit. The mushroom burial suit gained a lot of traction after Beverly Hills 90210 Star Luke Perry was buried in one. 

How it works: According to industry leader, Eterneva…

A mushroom burial suit is made from organic cotton mixed with mushroom spores. They can be stored in a cool, dark, and dry place for years before use, so you don’t have to wait until your twilight years to purchase one. 

Once a human body is resting in the ground in a mushroom burial suit, mushroom spores and other microorganisms begin to break down the body and turn the body into enzymes. These enzymes can then nourish the soil and help plant life thrive, leaving behind a fruitful legacy even after our loved one has passed.

If you haven’t heard of mushroom burial suits yet and are curious, check out the Ted Talk below:

Interesting fact: A mushroom burial suit costs between $1,000 and $3,500 less than a traditional or green burial plot or casket! Talk about a cooler, cheaper option!

Green Funeral Trend #3: Green Cremation

What it is: According to Green cremation is:

A gentle, eco-friendly alternative to flame-based cremation. Just like with traditional cremation, the body is reduced to ashes, which are then returned to the family. However, no flames are used during the Green Cremation process, making it the more natural choice.

Green cremation has several nicknames such as aquamation or resomation. We’re finding this type of cremation to be gaining a lot of traction since gas prices have spiked. What’s awesome about this option is that because there’s no heat involved, there is also no gas production involved either. Say hello to a smaller carbon footprint!

How it works: According to the Guardian…

With aquamation, or “alkaline hydrolysis”, the body of the deceased is immersed for three to four hours in a mixture of water and a strong alkali, such as potassium hydroxide, in a pressurized metal cylinder and heated to around 150C.

The process liquifies everything except for the bones, which are then dried in an oven and reduced to white dust, placed in an urn and handed to relatives.

Interesting fact: Green cremation uses “roughly 20% of the energy that flame-based cremation does” 

Green Funeral Trend #4: Body Composting

What it is: According to Recompose, the company leading the way in human composting, it:

Uses a process called natural organic reduction to transform human remains into soil. This soil can then be used to regenerate the earth that supports us our whole lives.

How it works: The process of “recomposing” is pretty simple as explained by Recompose. The first step is to “lay the body in a vessel surrounded by wood chips, alfalfa, and straw. The vessel is closed and the transformation into soil begins”. 

Next, “the body and plant material remain in the vessel for 30 days. Microbes power change on the molecular level, resulting in the formation of a nutrient-dense soil.” 

When the body is complete in its recomposition process, it then turns into 1 cubic yard of “soil amendment” which then cures for 2-6 weeks. Lastly, the soil is returned to its rightful place in nature, helping to “ restore forests,sequester carbon, and nourish new life”.

To experience for yourself a visit to a human composting facility, check out this video:

Interesting fact:  Between .84 and 1.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be saved each time someone chooses human composting over traditional burial.

Other Green Funeral Trends

While we only talked about some main green funeral trends that are gaining major momentum in the press and in the funeral profession, there are plenty of other beautiful green funeral options out there still gaining traction. 

If you’re a green funeral company we’d love to hear from you! Or, if you have any green funeral trends to share, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below.