Case Study

Age-Old Human Principles

Come Alive While Burying the Dead

SITUATION

The family-owned Fernwood Cemetery was founded in Philadelphia in 1870. This almost 100-acre, serene and beautiful urban cemetery is managed today by the second generation. At first glance, it looks like many other cemeteries.

With a union workforce, its organization and division of roles and responsibilities is fairly ordinary. Tongue-in-cheek, Ed Clapper, whose father ran the cemetery for years, boasts of “a rather flat organization where everyone one looks up to him as Placement Director.”

A deeper look shows major differences from other cemeteries – and other companies. Fernwood models the relationship every business would like to have with its employees. As the local Teamsters president says, “I would like to replicate this relationship.”

OPPORTUNITY 

A similar cemetery might have 20-25 people. This staff prepares for burials and interments while providing the never-ending maintenance and care of the grounds and structures. Fernwood accomplishes the same amount of work with 9 people. And both the company and the workforce benefit. This "half-sized" workforce results in a much smaller labor budget for Fernwood – and because Fernwood's people get much more done in less time than the competition, their total compensation package (pay and benefits) are far higher than those at competitors.

What is this relationship that the local union president would like to replicate? That has resulted in perhaps the highest paid workforce in the area? That does what would be impossible for other cemetery staffs?

SECRET INGREDIENT 

As you probe further, you discover the difference. This management has "humaneered" their organization through the years, resulting in a continuously energized and motivated workforce. Their basic humaneering principles include…

• Understanding and addressing employee needs and wants
• Including employees in problem solving and decisions
• Sharing company goals, then enabling much work group self-determination toward achieving those goals
• Workforce participation in the financial outcomes of their efforts. 

None of this happened by accident. Ed Clapper brought his personal leadership, management style and sense of humor. Another family member provided the coaching in humaneering. Bob Hassold is the chairman and founder of Humaneering^® International. Much of Hassold's career has focused on helping corporations develop creative ways to engage their workforce.

Fernwood’s humaneering principles permeate all elements of the business. They have become a way of life for each member of the operation. Although these principles sound commonsense, they are often forgotten, overlooked, or excused away, in favor of the latest trend in management practices. Fernwood's humaneering has leveraged basic principles of human nature:

• We want to have what we need to do our work
• We want to be valued
• We want to make things better – for others, and for ourselves

Fernwood is an absolute believer that when these conditions are met, individuals and teams deliver far more than we usually dare to expect.

FERNWOOD'S RESULTS 

Over the years, Fernwood has seen many indicators of the success of these principles. Here's a sample:

• The proactive and assertive workforce known for its service mindset, dignity and thoughtfulness.
• Employees thrive on challenges, often handling as many as 13 funerals a day vs. the industry norm of 4 to 5.
• Employees rarely take sick and personal days, most frequently cashing them in at the end of the year.
• Turnover is almost non-existent; service with the company ranges from 16 to 46 years.
• The environment of trust and self-supervision allows most problems to be solved long before they can get to the front-office.
• An "open-door" policy promotes respect for everyone’s ideas, contributing to a record of no grievances in 15 years.

Many stories illustrate the outcomes. For example, one recent winter a major snowstorm loomed, threatening to shut down the city. With snow predicted to begin Sunday, the workforce volunteered to work Saturday to prepare for the coming week. The predicted snow would have made it impossible to handle any burials for a week or longer. The snow came, other cemeteries came to a standstill, but not Fernwood. Monday, several employees walked 3-4 miles in the snow to finalize preparations. Fernwood was ready as soon as roads were cleared. Families were able to continue with needed plans, thanks to Fernwood's proactive staff.