Growing Stronger Together

For more than a decade, the National Funeral Directors Association Professional Women’s Conference has been the top gathering of women and non-binary people in the country. This year, Precoa Director of Account Operations Courtney Jackson was privileged to speak with Megan Coyle, president and fifth-generation owner of Precoa partner Coyle Funeral Home and Cremation Services, about how funeral homes can create an exceptional workplace culture that will not only attract top employees but will attract families to be lasting brand advocates.

Together, Courtney and Megan share what their amazing experiences in San Antonio meant to them and how it will shape their work in the future.

The Professional Women’s Conference is such a unique experience. What were some of the highlights for both of you?

Megan: I loved being surrounded by engaging, exciting women! Everyone was very friendly and interested in learning and sharing their experiences and challenges.

Courtney: Seeing so many women who are ambitious and excited for the future of the profession—it’s truly inspiring.

The theme of the 2023 conference was “Growing Stronger Together.” What does that theme mean to you?

Courtney: It means that we can do more as funeral professionals, and as women, if we recognize our shared purpose and raise each other up as we move forward.

Megan: Often I feel alone on my island, our family funeral home in Toledo, Ohio. To have a network of professionals to draw upon for resources is so helpful. Doing this work takes effort, and to be aligned with others who desire to grow, learn and expand is really exciting.

Courtney: When you go beyond individual success and intentionally focus on how your success contributes to the success of us all, it can impact the profession.

The title of your talk was “You’ll Love It Here: How to make workplace culture a competitive advantage.” Why is this relevant in today’s job market?

Courtney: There’s a lot of movement in the job market right now. Many people have reevaluated their priorities, especially in response to the pandemic.

Research shows that 1 in 5 workers say they’ll be looking for a job in the next six months. Employees are expecting more from their employers, and employers need to be more focused than ever on how to attract and retain quality candidates.

Megan: What’s happening in the job market is sometimes referred to as the “Big Quit.” The annual turnover rate last year was 50 million, but a lot of these people aren’t necessarily quitting. They’re actually looking to “upgrade” their jobs.

I look at my kids and their approach to taking certain jobs. A lot of what they’re focused on is culture and opportunities that align with their values.

That ties in with what you said about the importance of purpose for today’s job seekers. Why is this an advantage for the funeral profession?

Megan: Today’s job seekers don’t want a traditional “job.” They want to spend their time doing work that has meaning, value and purpose to them.

Many want to make a lasting impression and provide genuine help in the world. They want to have flexibility, experience kindness and empathy, and have agency over their work-life balance.

Courtney: Purpose is built into the funeral profession. People do this work because they want to leave families with a positive experience of closure and healing on the hardest day of their lives. People work in the funeral space because they want to live out the purpose of impacting people’s lives.

Megan: The advantage of a career in funeral service is that losing a loved one is a universal life experience – we all go through it. Our industry is a natural and beautiful opportunity to create lasting impressions, healing experiences, and authentic connections with people on a very real, deep level.

Courtney: The most rewarding experiences we have are when we share a deep connection with others. This is the built-in purpose that job seekers are looking for as they shop around for new careers that are fulfilling. We’re all here because we care about taking care of people.

How does purpose play a role in what you do?

Courtney: Our purpose at Precoa is “Enriching life through meaningful connection.” Having the opportunity to connect with fellow employees, teammates, and clients to help positively impact people’s lives is incredibly motivating for me.

We spend the majority of our waking hours at work. I’m not interested in spending that precious time in a profession or company that only focuses on the bottom line.

It is more important to me that I work towards a shared purpose that is aligned with my own values. I am lucky to have found that at Precoa and within the funeral profession.

Megan: Purpose is the drive that pushes me to keep going, even when I don’t want to. Purpose allows me to focus on how I can help others, get out of my own way, avoid negative thinking, and just be present.

When I show up to work, I am there with the sole purpose of helping those in my path, from my staff to new calls to families looking to prearrange, and even our vendors who just stop to visit and chat. People appreciate intentional personal connection. All of that is derived from purpose.

Everyone plays different roles within the profession and even within a funeral home. What are some steps people can take to make a difference at their workplace and within their spheres of influence?

Megan: Make others feel appreciated and special. This could be through random acts of kindness, recognition, or demonstrated through inspired action. Regardless of your role, people want to see that you care.

The same can be said outside of the workplace. People don’t remember what you say or what you know, they remember how you make them feel.

Courtney: Think about others around you and what they may need, even if it is not in line with your own needs. Take the extra step to surprise your peers with recognition.

If you have worked your way to a leadership position, take the time to identify all the barriers you have had—and then focus on clearing as many of those barriers as possible for the people coming up behind you.

First and foremost, focus on the positive aspects at your funeral home and the shared personal purpose you have with the work you do. Let that positivity radiate through you as you interact with others. Positivity is infectious.

Megan: It all starts with the most controllable factor in daily workplace harmony: You! You can make the intentional choice to be an agent of change at your funeral home. Progress is the result of all the incremental steps we can take, and when all of us are taking these steps together, it makes an impact.

You also shared some of the outcomes that result from taking these steps. What are some of the things you have seen as a result of fostering a purpose-driven workplace culture?

Megan: Our culture is very much a team. We take the time to get to know each other as people, and that has proven very powerful in creating a loving, caring culture. Because of how we work together and have each other’s backs, we do not have a revolving door like so many other businesses right now.

Courtney: You see it when people visit your workplace and interact with your people. They walk away thinking, “Wow. There’s something special here.”

We’re representing our organizations all the time, in every area of our lives. We have an incredible opportunity to draw people into the meaningful work we do.

Megan: I can speak to the difference it makes when working with a purpose-driven partner like Precoa. I couldn’t do what I do - writing over $1 million dollars in preneed, running a funeral home, making at-need arrangements, and volunteering on community boards - without an organization that leads by example. I feel Precoa’s culture of caring, craftsmanship, and kindness from the president to the individual setting appointments in the Funeral Planning Center.

More women are entering funeral service and becoming leaders in the profession. Why is it important for women and non-binary people in our profession to meet?

Megan: We have a different level of connection with each other than we do with men in the profession.

By gathering intentionally, we can relate and share our experiences with our eyes and ears. We can listen, understand, and empathize.

Courtney: To share common experiences, to learn from each other, to feel less isolated—that is what makes this experience so special and important.

It is wonderful to see multiple generations of women represented and to know that the future has a space - an expanding space - for women in leadership in this profession. Talk about motivating and empowering!

What was the best part of the conference for you?

Megan: I loved connecting with the Precoa women. Typically I see them in a specific context. So being in their lovely presence throughout the conference, and getting to know them better outside of our usual workplaces, was truly a gift!

Courtney: The social interactions and getting to relive past memories that I’ve made with folks through work and conferences. I also appreciated hearing everyone’s stories and their differing perspectives of the industry from the variety of seats they sit in.

I always learn so much and walk away with a renewed respect for the work that all funeral professionals, and especially funeral directors, do on a daily basis.

Megan: If the Precoa team is attending, I want to be there!

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Courtney Jackson: Courtney Jackson is Director of Account Operations at Precoa. For over ten years, her managerial talent for empowering businesses, teams, and individuals to harness their strengths and realize their full potential has taken her around the world from Taiwan to Texas. Her work continually improves the preneed experience for funeral homes and makes a meaningful impact on Precoa’s award-winning company culture.

Megan Coyle: Megan Coyle is the president and fifth-generation owner of Coyle Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Megan is an Ohio Licensed Funeral Director and Funeral Insurance Agent and has received national accolades for her work in preneed planning. Driven by purpose and positivity, she strives to stay balanced while putting service first.