 "Cuspers" excel at connecting multiple generations within the workforce. But what exactly is a cusper, and why should organisations pay attention to them? A cusper is someone born at the intersection of two generations, embodying a blend of traits from both. These individuals act as a generational bridge, often referred to as "generational glue" or a "micro-generation," linking one generation to the next. Understanding the generational makeup of your team is crucial, says Deon Smit, Master Reward Specialist and Executive Committee Member at the South African Reward Association (SARA). The major generation groupings can be defined along the following date ranges:
• Before 1945: Traditionalists or Silent Generation • 1946 – 1964: Baby Boomers • 1965 – 1979: Generation X • 1980 – 1995: Millennials or Generation Y • 1996 – 2016: Generation Z, iGen or Centennial So, what is a cusper, and what is their purpose? • An unbalanced generational mix in an organisation could have an impact on certain key employee metrics like turnover, engagement and employee satisfaction. It also creates diversity to have a healthy mix. • The question is: Does your organisation have enough employees who are considered generational glue or cuspers to connect the major generational groupings in your organisation? • These cuspers will be this vital generational glue as they link the generation groupings. • The main purpose of generational glue would be to link the different generation groupings to a common purpose, culture and jargon language. This will also facilitate cross-collaboration, improving teamwork and positively impacting team dynamics. • These micro-generations or cuspers are roughly defined according to the following date ranges with their unique cluster names: o 1943 – 1948: Troomers, Shhh-oomers, or Swing generation o 1962 – 1967: Baby X’s, Boomerex or Tweeners o 1977 – 1983: Xennials o 1993 – 1998: MinionZ, Zillennials, Zenials or Snapchat Generation So, why is generational glue or cuspers then so important for the organisation? • Having a balanced generation mix could ensure higher employee engagement levels in your organisation as you have the important generation glue that interlink them. • Higher engagement levels in your organisation could, in turn, lead to higher productivity levels. • Higher productivity levels will positively impact the organisation’s bottom line. • Cuspers or micro-generations will also positively impact an organisation’s culture and lead to more team cohesiveness and a greater sense of belonging for all employees. • Too much of one generation grouping without the right amount of generation glue could make it difficult to create a unified workplace. • A mix of generations create diversity – not just of age, but of thinking, ideas and perspective. • Cuspers or micro-generations will ensure better communication between generations, creating a better understanding of each other. • The absence of cuspers could also lead to increased employee turnover and dissatisfaction in the workplace. What does rewarding these cuspers or micro-generations look like? Cuspers are proof that a one-size-fits-all approach around reward solutions does not work and why flexibility in benefits, working methods, and pay structures is important. It is key to accommodate these employees who do not feel they fit in a specific generational construct. Allowing a great range of choices will empower all employees to customise their employee remuneration journey to meet their needs and wants. Smit further says that generations in the workplace will always be fluid as one generation ends and a new generation starts their careers. Having the right balance can have a long-term positive effect on employees and the organisation. So, it is worth looking more closely at the generational demographics of your organisation and making generational glue work for you. Deon Smit is a Master Reward Specialist and SARA Executive Member. He is the Group Remuneration Manager at Pepkor. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Idele Prinsloo, idele@atthatpoint.co.za, 082 573 9219, www.atthatpoint.co.za For more information on SARA please visit: Website: www.sara.co.za X: @SA_reward LinkedIn: South African Reward Association Facebook: SARA – South African Reward Association
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 Can South African workers look forward to increases in line with the cost of living this year?
According to Dr Mark Bussin, Master Reward Specialist and EXCO member at the South African Reward Association (SARA), economic instability in the country makes this unlikely – unless the government takes drastic action soon. "Unfortunately, the current state of South Africa means the financial outlook for companies is generally bleak and this will have a direct impact on their ability to offer any kind of meaningful increases to employees," he says. Dr Bussin provides an overview of the causes of the situation, their impact on employee rewards, and solutions that should be implemented promptly to improve conditions. How will increase decisions be impacted by the current economic climate? "First, we need to ascertain what is meant by 'current economic climate'," says Dr Bussin. He highlights the following key factors that define the country's economic situation and impede employers' ability to make favourable increase decisions:
These economic failings will inevitably cause employers to:
"You can ask a thousand economists this question and you will get a thousand different answers," says Dr Bussin. However, from a company perspective, relative to the decisions around making salary increases possible, he believes the following must happen at all levels of government:
What does this mean for employees? "Until the government takes decisive and proactive steps to remove these economic barriers, organisations will be unable to respond positively to their employees' cost-of-living requirements," says Dr Bussin. He encourages companies and concern groups to continue to put pressure on the nation's leaders to make tangible reforms that will help South Africa recover from crippling economic deficiencies. "We can talk about working together towards a solution all we want. But, if the proper political, legal and socio-economic foundations are not in place, there is no footing to climb out of the hole in which we collectively find ourselves," he says. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, [email protected], 060 995 6277, www.atthatpoint.co.za For more information on SARA please visit: Website: www.sara.co.za Twitter: @SA_reward LinkedIn: South African Reward Association Facebook: SARA – South African Reward Association If you do not want to receive emails from us, please use the link: Click here to unsubscribe.  "South African businesses that have already planned their pay increases for 2022 have some tough decisions ahead of them," warns Yolanda Sedlmaier, Chartered Reward Specialist and Exco member at the South African Reward Association.
This is due to rocketing inflation, fuelled by global economic turbulence and local conditions, which is only expected to worsen over the rest of the year. Employees faced with the escalating cost of living may be underwhelmed and demotivated by increases falling well below their needs. Unfortunately, this can negatively affect their productivity as well as that of their company. A rough road ahead South African employers determine their pay increase targets several months before those increases are due to be implemented. The targets are typically based on various factors, including the prevalent economic outlook for the coming year at that time. Once set, sudden changes to the forecast factors are very difficult to accommodate due to the time needed to rework the plans and the financial provisions supporting their adoption. "The process is the definition of a big ship turning slowly and 2022 is shaping up to be just that kind of situation," says Sedlmaier. According to recent figures from Statistics South Africa, the country's current annual inflation is 5.9 percent, mainly due to higher food and fuel prices. This is compared to 4.5 percent in 2021. In addition, credit rating firm Moody's has projected that local inflation could reach as high as 8 percent by the end of the year, a figure the US economy has already reached. To offset inflation, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced an increase to the interest rate of 50 basis points, following three consecutive rises of 25bps each. The SARB also noted that economic growth had been adjusted from 2 percent down to 1.7 percent due to several short-term factors, including flooding in Kwa-Zulu Natal and ongoing electricity supply constraints. The sudden onset of Russia's war with Ukraine and the conflict's immediate impact on the global economy is also a significant factor. This while businesses are still fighting back from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020 and 2021. Lastly, economists report that while the outlook for a global recession was 25 percent at the beginning of the year, this outlook has increased to 50 percent. Others have suggested that such a recession may be mild compared to previous declines, like the 2008 financial crisis. "Either way, employers need to be ready for anything," says Sedlmaier. To revise or not to revise The effects of inflation on worker attitudes can already be witnessed as unions, demanding increases of 7, 10 and even up to 15 percent, are prepared to go on strike against employers offering 6 percent. As a result, will companies be forced to implement interim mini-raises to offset the unforeseen inflationary conditions or even bite the bullet and revise their plans altogether? Can they implement better cost-saving initiatives, such as more work-from-home allowances, to alleviate the burden on workers? "There's no easy answer to the million-dollar question they face and employers will have to dig deep to develop effective reward strategies," says Sedlmaier. ENDS MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, [email protected], 060 995 6277, www.atthatpoint.co.za For more information on SARA please visit: Website: www.sara.co.za Twitter: @SA_reward LinkedIn: South African Reward Association Facebook: SARA – South African Reward Association |
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