Workload Analysis on Public Funeral Workers in Pandemic Covid-19

DOI : 10.30595/jssh Abstract. This study aims to determine the level of the workload of public funeral officers during the pandemic in one city in Indonesia. The hypothesis in the study is that there has been an increase in the workload of public funeral officers since the surge in deaths due to Covid-19. The sampling technique used is non-random sampling in 25 people. This research method uses a mixed-method approach with inferential narrative data analysis techniques using SPSS software. The data processing results show that 44% of respondents fall into having a medium workload, and another 56% fall into the category of relatively high. External and internal factors cause the workload.


I. INTRODUCTION a. Background
The world is currently being hit by a very deadly and very dangerous Covid-19 pandemic. Many people have died from this deadly virus. Reporting from the government's official website, as of July 23, 2021, the death toll in Indonesia reached 77,583 people. This number has increased from the previous period. In December 2020, the average funeral for patients who died of Covid at the city TPU managed by the Surakarta City Government, including TPU Bonoloyo, TPU Untoroloyo, TPU Daksonoloyo, TPU Praci, and TPU Poroloyo amounted to 7-9 people per day while in February it was recorded minimum 3 people per day.
The procedure for the burial of a Covid corpse is different from that of a non-Covid corpse. Covid bodies need special handling, and the burial time is limited to a maximum of ± 4 hours after the body's death. The special handling in question is a procedural protocol that must be adhered to by health workers and funeral workers, such as the use of PPE, sterilizing the grave area by spraying disinfectant in the area around the grave, using masks, and keeping no crowds at the funeral. The number of patients dying from COVID is unpredictable; there are indeed preventive measures against covid transmissions, such as implementing the health protocol by the government, namely 3M (wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining distance, and avoiding crowds). This action has been widely carried out in public facilities and open spaces by providing free hand washing facilities and hand sanitizers. However, there have been preventive measures to reduce the number of infected and dead victims and curative efforts to increase the chances of patients recovering. However, there are still people who die from Covid every day. Based on observations made in the field by researchers, data were obtained that funeral attendants received burdensome work assignments when funeral attendants were short of people. At the same time, corpses came continuously in one day or even two days in a row and required an expedited funeral. So many tomb attendants did not go home and even lacked time to rest. It causes an increased workload and has resulted in a non-ideal workload for Public Cemetery officials accompanied by unfavorable working conditions. This non-ideal increase in workload is caused by the limited number of workers who do not match the number of funerals held per day. In addition, the workers are worried about the transmission of the virus. Another reason is payroll system feels a bit difficult, and there is no work shift distribution or work time management for funeral workers. The workload variable has its aspects and indicators. According to Permendagri No. 12/2008, the workload is the amount of work that must be carried out by a position or organizational unit and is the product of the work volume and the time norm. According to Suwatno (2003), the dimensions of workload use indicators, including effective working hours, educational background, and type of work provided. According to Murti (2013), the workload is a set or number of activities that must be completed by an organizational unit or position holder within a certain period.
Based on the theory that has been described above, the researchers took several indicators that were relevant to the problems raised. The workload indicators include (1) work time management, namely the division of work shifts, schedule for entry and completion of work; (2) the number of jobs given in the form of the number of jobs or funerals that an officer in one day ideally carries out; (3) the quality of work is the result of the work done; (4) behavior when working, which includes discipline, honesty, and self-initiative in doing work; (5) attitude towards superiors and co-workers is the relationship with coworkers and superiors as well as with external parties involved in the work and; (6) working environment conditions. Wibisono (2007) explains that several indicators of working conditions are considered ideal, including the work environment. The work environment is all situations and conditions related to the activities of officers in their work; a lousy work environment can cause employees to fall ill easily, get stressed quickly, find it difficult to concentrate and decrease work productivity. Working conditions that can cause work stress include noise, vibration (vibration), and environmental health hygiene).
If the workplace is uncomfortable, hot, air circulation is inadequate, and the work environment is dangerous, noisy, it will have a significant impact on the officers' performance. Second, job challenges are working conditions in which a job is attractive or not for employees. There is a term deprivation stress to describe working conditions that are no longer challenging or not attractive to workers. Usually, the complaints that arise are boredom, dissatisfaction, or the work lacks social elements (lack of social communication). Furthermore, the third is an occupational risk; there are high-risk types, or very dangerous for safety, such as public funeral work. This job can cause work stress because officers are constantly faced with the possibility of accidents, disease transmission, and other risky threats.
Before the covid pandemic, the officers' workload was not too heavy, and every funeral could take place well. However, since the covid pandemic, many workers feel tired, and the workload is too much. For this reason, the researcher surveyed the officers to find out the workload experienced and the current working conditions to find out whether the working environment conditions were ideal for workers in the public cemetery section. Therefore, researchers are more focused on finding out whether the workload in the public cemetery section is in the light, medium, or heavy category. This study aims to determine the level of the workload of public funeral officers in one city in Indonesia. This research is helpful for related parties in making decisions on the problems presented by researchers and is expected to be a reference material for future authors. The hypothesis in this study is that there has been an increase in the workload of public funeral officers since the surge in deaths due to Covid-19.

II. METHOD
This study uses a mixed-method approach, which is a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches. The variable raised in this study is workload. The sampling technique used is non-random sampling to 25 people. The data collection method distributes workload questionnaires to 25 respondents and non-formal interviews with three respondents at random from the TPU with the highest number of problems. Data analysis using a combined inferential narrative technique using statistical formulas. The results obtained from these calculations are used as the basis for making generalized conclusions.

Results
Based on the results of data analysis using SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solutions with one variable categorization analysis method. The results obtained from 25 respondents as a sample in the population stated that 44% of the respondents were suitable. The workload felt by there are quite some public funeral officers compared to before the pandemic. Then 56% of the total respondents fall into the reasonably high category. Based on the interview data, it can be concluded that the workload of funeral attendants has increased since the Covid-19 outbreak. The analysis results show that of the 25 respondents, each item and each person has filled in completely so that there are no data gaps that can cause bias. The results of data analysis categorization of 1 variable. The results obtained from 25 respondents as a sample in the population stated that 44% were in a suitable category. It means that the workload felt by public funeral officers is quite a lot more than at the time before the pandemic. Then 56% of the total respondents fall into the reasonably high category.

Discussion
Based on the measurement of the workload of public funeral attendants, it was found that 11 respondents (44%) were in the moderate category, and 14 people (56%) were in the relatively high category. So it can be concluded that the workload of public funeral officers is relatively high and affects the officers' performance.
The workload is something that each relevant agency must consider. Excellent workload management is one of the primary keys to the good or bad performance of officers. Workload management needs to be considered from various aspects. Starting from a division of labor, the wage system, entry and exit schedules working environment conditions, work safety guarantees, and superior-subordinate relationships. Workload analysis identifies both the number of employees and the types of employees needed to achieve agency goals.
Excessive workload will result in work stress on employees. If the workload received by the body is excessive, it will cause fatigue both physically and mentally and the emergence of emotional reactions such as headaches, digestive disorders, and irritability (Afan, 2019). It is supported by the research results by Balbeid (2017) which states that there is a very significant positive relationship between workload and employee job stress. The higher the workload of employees, the higher the job stress experienced by employees and vice versa.
External and internal factors influence the workload of the public funeral attendants. According to Hayati (2002), the factors that affect the workload are divided into two factors which is external factors, namely workloads originating from outside the worker's body such as; physical tasks performed, working environment conditions, work attitudes, mental responsibility, work complexity and emotions among workers; work organization such as, length of time worked, rest, night and day shift distribution, and the wage system. Second, internal factors come from within the staff themselves, such as health conditions, motivation, trust, desire, satisfaction, and perception.
Minister of Home Affairs Regulation number 12 of 2008 concerning guidelines for workload analysis within the Ministry of Home Affairs states workload analysis is a management technique that is carried out systematically to obtain information about the level of effectiveness and efficiency of an organization's work (Afan, 2019). Critical workload analysis is carried out at least once per year to see the effect of workload on the agency's performance whether there is something that needs to be improved and addressed in the organizational system and management implemented.
Based on the results of research conducted by Wahyuni (2021) the results obtained that workload has a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction, as evidenced by the results of the analysis that the workload variable means that the less workload the employee has, the higher the level of employee satisfaction and vice versa. There are various types of workloads, namely a combination of quantitative and qualitative workloads.
In this study, only quantitative workloads occurred and were observed by researchers. This burden results from a working system that is not ideal, which impacts the physical and mental of officers, one of which is the pressure of time at work. In Covid corpses, many things must be considered, one of which is a maximum burial time of 4 hours; this is also exacerbated by the limited number of workers, causing fatigue, errors, declining health conditions, and affecting the optimization of officers' performance. There needs to be a policy from the leadership in responding to this problem. If this continues and is not followed up, it does not rule out the possibility of a decline in the work performance of the agency concerned.

IV. CONCLUSION
This study concluded that there was an increase in the workload of public funeral officers. The results were obtained from the frequency with 11 respondents (44%) included in the moderate category and as many as 14 people (56%) included in the relatively high category. It concluded that the workload of public funeral officers is relatively high and affects the officers' performance. The workload is caused by external factors that come from outside the officers and internal ones that come from within. Based on these problems, the researcher provides several suggestions, including; a) changing and improving the work system of the officers, by providing daily shifts for funeral attendants by implementing entry and exit hours, so that the division of work time becomes effective; b) providing a reward system for boredom and boredom with the routine of work can be reduced by the existence of a point system where more points are collected. So, certain rewards will be given in the form of incentives, additional time off, and many more; c) conduct regular evaluations to the TPU to see officers' performance, prevent undisciplined and dishonest actions, d) procurement of good facilities and infrastructure to support and increase the efficiency of the work of funeral attendants.
This study still has weaknesses, especially on the limitations of variables and data analysis that has not been comprehensive and the limited time of the study. The population taken is not representative because it is not yet specific with unique characteristics. Further researchers can use various variables such as time management, remuneration systems, leadership styles, and more collection techniques and instruments. It is hoped that this research can be used as a reference for further research and can be used as consideration for decision-making at the institutions concerned.