How are you showing your appreciation?

Donna Darby-Walthall,
Chief Financial Officer

As a family-owned and operated business, we understand the importance of family, which means every person working for any of our companies are part of that family. We care about our employees and we appreciate their hard work. Our organization wouldn't be where it is today if it wasn't for them. They are the ones in the trenches every day making things happen.

One way the Darby family shows their appreciation is by hosting a quarterly luncheon for the entire manufacturing division. We serve lunch, play games that give employees the opportunity to win money or prizes, and we enjoy each others company. It is a great opportunity for us to connect with everyone on a different level and have some fun.

Our manufacturing employees aren’t the only ones receiving our good praises. We also enjoy showing our appreciation by offering an incentive program to our funeral home staff at Sunset Funeral Home called the “Anything’s Possible Award.” Each employee is encouraged to nominate a fellow co-worker when they see them performing a task above and beyond their normal duties. If the person nominated wins, they not only get a monetary award, but they also get recognized by their fellow co-workers. I love when our employees see and recognize the efforts of their co-workers. It benefits us all.

How do you show your appreciation to your staff? I would love to hear some of your ideas. You can email me at DonnaW@trigard.com.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.

Benefit your company by getting involved

Drew Edwards,
General Manager,
Sunset Funeral Homes

How often do you leave the office to learn and connect with others in our industry? Are you involved with regional, state or national organizations? I think one reason a lot of us are afraid of change is that we don’t make the time to refresh our knowledge and get involved.

By the time you read this, I will be finishing up a week in Orlando, Florida, at the National Funeral Directors Leadership Conference. This conference is designed to place leaders from each state association together to share ideas, goals and visions, and to network with the objective of preserving the industry that we love. It typically has representation from almost every state in the United States.

The Darby Family encourages its employees to stay involved in the industry and to get out of our comfort zone. If you are an owner of a memorial company, funeral home or cemetery, I encourage you to invest in your employees and send them to industry conventions and workshops. Not only will they come back more knowledgeable, they will also know that you care about them and want them to share in your success. It might very well be one of the best investments you ever make.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.