Neville Funerals is continuing to challenge a general perception that the funeral industry is still made up of male only roles, with a team that has never been more gender balanced.
There’s an increasing number of women working in funeral services compared with just 10 or 20 years ago. But more than that, women are also breaking down barriers further by taking on roles as Drivers and Bearers, Embalmers and more.
As a result, Neville Funerals now has the ability to present an all-female funeral team for the very first time – an indication of the shift in team make-up.
Neville Funerals Director, Charmian Alexander commented: “At Neville Funerals, we believe the care, support, and passion that our team brings to work is what makes them all so suitable for the roles that we have. Compassion and kindness are two of our most valued qualities when it comes to looking for new team members – regardless of gender.
“We understand that the shift towards a truly balanced workforce is not just about hiring more women team members, but about upward mobility, and ensuring that opportunities are open to anyone, based on their suitability for the role, regardless of any other factor that has historically contributed to workplace bias. The fact that we now have an all-female team is now a by-product of that open recruitment policy.”
Charmian Alexander continued: “There was so much learning that we took from the pandemic years – and some of that was indeed positive. It opened up a much wider conversation about how we work and how we can evolve workplace culture. Whilst fully remote working is not really an option for most of our team, it is seen as far more acceptable to have roles that are fluid with more flexible working roles available.
“In the early 2000’s people were often surprised to see me arrive in a private ambulance to bring people into our care, as there was a perception that women within our industry work in the offices arranging the funerals and the men carry the coffins.
“It is wonderful to see that as a result of our changing workforce, that we are now able to offer a completely female team for the first time. There are still improvements that need to be made across the industry, but I am proud to work for a business that prides itself on being inclusive whilst tackling stereotypes and offering rewarding career options for all potential candidates.”
Neville Funerals is also a dedicated equal opportunities employer. The business is a member of the equality register, “Committed2Equality”, an organisation designed to enable businesses to reach their potential and demonstrate diverse working practices.
Supporting employees and ensuring that they feel represented within the industry underpins Neville Funerals’ mission to bridge the gap between genders that work within the industry.