Lesson: Working long hours, following through on tasks despite physical exhaustion and stress: That's part of the gig when you're a leader. They needed to focus on their guests and relatives during their time of mourning.įor these reasons, my personal work ethic at the cemetery directly impacted the lives of visitors and families, and the same could be said of entrepreneurs and business leaders. It would have been unacceptable for a family to show up for a service without an open plot. We couldn't simply pitch our shovels to take a lunch break or rest our arms. On more than a few occasions,we had to dig five to six different plots in 100-plus-degree heat, then turn around and manage the graveside services. ![]() And, from cleaning headstones to digging graves, to maintaining the grounds, we put in considerable work with very little staff. Our labor-intensive days started around 6 a.m. In this context, I'm not sure you'll find harder-working individuals than cemetery workers. Whether you're taking care of roughly 40 acres of plots or leading a business of any size, "work ethic" is a skill that's crucial to leadership. ![]() ![]() Cemetery workers are a great example of what a "work ethic" should be. So, clearly, empathy isn't just a feel-good employee concern - it's a key driver in keeping employees engaged and potentially boosting productivity. According to Businessolver's 2017 Workplace Empathy Monitor survey, 92 percent of employees polled said they'd be more likely to stay with a company if that company empathized with their needs. Lesson: Empathy may seem like common sense for working with grieving visitors, but it's a skill that applies to the business world, as well. Clearly, we could have saved time and frustration had we empathized from the start. After grasping the importance of the ritual itself, we accommodated the request. We learned that the actual burial was a significant part of their culture. That's when we stopped citing policy and listened. But the family members kept insisting, and tensions escalated. Then, one day, one particular family was frustrated with this rule and insisted on an exception being made.Īt first, we stuck to our rules. The majority of cemeteries may also have a nondescript religious building with a prayer room and a crematorium.įor both churchyards and cemeteries, you are responsible for the maintenance of the memorial, and both charge a fee to install a headstone.Related: How Cemeteries, Police and the Holocaust Museum are Coping With Pokemon Go Feverįor example, many family members wanted to assist with the actual burials after a graveside service however, we only allowed people to be first to put dirt on the vault. Size and material requirements will still apply, but most typical headstone materials will be acceptable. More elaborate memorials, such as kerb sets, are not usually permitted, even if some kerbed headstones have already been erected in the churchyard.Ĭemetery rules for headstones are less stringent. Graveyard inscriptions must be conservative and share the values of the Christian faith. General guidelines and regulations will vary from graveyard to graveyard, and between parishes (the local church area), but many will ask that the headstone be restricted to granite or natural stone, unpolished, and contain no coloured granite. Cemeteries, on the other hand, are run by the council, welcome all faiths and have more relaxed rules regarding headstones. ![]() Graveyards would therefore usually stipulate that only Christians can be buried within the grounds. Although the words ‘graveyard’ and ‘cemetery’ are often used interchangeably in everyday speech, traditionally speaking, graveyards are run by the church, and may be attached to a church or chapel.
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