Our story
The community developed from an online post that asked how people understood the term ‘human’ (in a professional context) in phrases such as human-centred design, human experience or more recently, rehumanising. It also asked why they held that view.
The number of replies demonstrated that this clearly resonated with a lot of people, and that they were keen to further explore this issue. The move towards a community grew naturally and energetically from that.
The Purposefully Human Community is a not-for-profit organisation and any funding raised will be invested in pursuit of the stated aims. Membership is open to individuals and is run on an equitable and member-led basis.
WHY
The reason why we exist
The purpose (of being) fully human
Humans are gloriously variable, diverse, and complex. However, organisational processes tend to favour other traits such as standardisation and predictability. As such, they do not consistently align with, and meet human needs. Currently most organisations bridge this gap by using personas or other tools that offer simplified versions of humans that remove or downplay the ambiguity and messiness. Unfortunately, as desirable as that may appear, it is not the reality, and that may explain why some of the biggest organisational issues remain unresolved. That’s why it is time for a different and more authentically human approach.
The next organisational revolution will be human powered and human kind.
We believe that when organisations recognise the whole person (the human), they unleash a powerful force that exponentially enhances engagement, trust and loyalty. Whilst labels such as employee, customer, partner, student, patient etc. can be useful they also tend to disguise the reality that life does not fall into neat and separate silos. Humans bring all of themselves to every interaction. We believe that recognising and incorporating this into how companies operate offers the route to solve many of the issues that traditional approaches have so far failed to do effectively.
That’s why our vision and mission are:
Vision
A world in which organisations thrive by being authentically human in everything they do.
Mission
To globally promote the benefits of creating organisations that work with, and celebrate, what it means to be human.
HOW
Our principles for inspiring a more human world, and how we aim to realise this vision through our community
Purposefully Human Principles:
- We believe that humans are fundamentally good, and organisations that design environments to enhance their ability to be, and do, good will be the ones that prosper.
- We believe that every organisation can thrive and be more resilient by being Purposefully Human in the relationships they create and the experiences they provide.
- We believe that the current understanding and application of what it means to be ‘Human’ in relation to organisational activity is underdeveloped.
- We believe that there is no single definition or model of being ‘human ‘that can be applied to every organisation. The diversity inherent within humans requires a correspondingly wide range of approaches.
- We recognise that people bring different perspectives or ‘truths’. When approached with respect and curiosity these provide a valuable source of learning.
- We believe that many of the challenges organisations face, which are not being resolved by existing approaches, could be addressed by adopting a more authentically human perspective.
- We believe that an authentic human perspective should be a fundamental consideration in every organisational activity.
- We believe that our actions as professionals significantly influence the lives of others. And as humans, we should do things the right way.
- Being Purposefully Human includes recognizing that a range of factors and considerations may influence how people interact with organisations. Some of these may be known or revealed and others will not. Awareness of this principle will reduce the likelihood of dismissing the relevance of unexpected behaviours.
Community Principles:
- We welcome anyone with an interest in understanding how a Purposefully Human approach can help organisations. Whether that comes from just a sense of curiosity or a more developed professional interest. All are welcome, treated as equals and are encouraged to contribute. If you are human, you are welcome. Membership is on an individual basis only – there are no corporate memberships.
- We offer a safe space for members; we encourage rigorous debate and challenge. We will not tolerate abusive or intolerant behaviour. We seek to find areas of agreement, and to explore difference with purpose, curiosity and respect.
- Members with a relevant commercial interest should ensure they stay within the community guidelines.
- Use of the Purposefully Human logo and other branding is subject to the relevant policy.
WHAT
Our contributions to a more human world
The building blocks for driving the change we want to see in the world
Advocacy – individually and collectively promote the benefits of adopting authentically human approaches in work related activities.
Resources – collate, curate and commission resources for members, organisations, the media, and anyone who wishes to learn more.
Community – provide a safe space for members to connect, chat, and help each other.
Support – help members and organisations to learn about, introduce or refine activities that advance our mission.