Investigating the Relationship between Occupational Social Status and Social Health of Employees (Case Study: Urmia Municipality Cemeteries Organization)

Occupations associated with burial and cemetery services, due to their inherent confrontation with death and prevalent cultural taboos, are frequently characterized by low social status and consequent adverse effects on employees' psychosocial well-being. Nevertheless, to date, no systematic quantitative investigation has specifically addressed this issue within the Iranian context. The present study aimed to evaluate the occupational social status of employees at the Urmia Municipality Cemeteries Organization and to examine its association with their social health. This research employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The statistical population comprised ۸۵ employees of the organization. Employing a census sampling method, ۶۰ standardized social status questionnaires—encompassing three distinct dimensions (respect and influence, income and wealth, and value and importance)—were completed by the participants. Data were subsequently analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics and a one-sample t-test via SPSS software (version ۲۶). The mean social status score of the employees (N=۶۰, M=۲.۶۰, SD=۰.۷۲) was significantly lower than the theoretical mean threshold of ۳ (t = ۴.۲۱, p < ۰.۰۰۱). The highest degree of dissatisfaction was observed within the income and wealth dimension; specifically, ۷۱.۷% of the employees rated their compensation and benefits as inadequate compared to other municipal organizations, while ۵۵% believed their salary does not sufficiently cover essential living expenses. Furthermore, ۴۶.۷% of respondents declared that their neighbors do not accord them respect due to their occupation, and ۶۳.۳% perceived that society does not value their professional role. Regarding educational attainment, ۷۲% of the workforce held a high school diploma or lower, indicating a significant concentration of these roles among less-educated segments of the population. The occupational social status of cemetery employees in Urmia is substantially below average. The various dimensions of this status, particularly its economic and social-respect components, are critically associated with serious deficits in employees' social health—including impaired social cohesion, social acceptance, and social participation. This predicament has fostered a dysfunctional cycle of dissatisfaction, diminished productivity, and social exclusion. Consequently, immediate revisions to the compensation system—specifically the allocation of special hardship allowances, the conversion of contractual employment to permanent official status, and the implementation of public awareness campaigns to honor these professions—are recommended as primary policy priorities. By addressing the existing knowledge gap concerning "dirty work" within the socio-cultural context of Iran, this study provides a foundational basis for designing effective interventions aimed at improving both the status and social health of this urban service workforce

کلیدواژه ها:

Occupational Social Status ، Social Health ، Cemetery Employees ، Social Taboo ، Urmia Municipality