What is humanescence?

 

Humanescence is the intangible yet infinite power of human-to-human communication. Human communication comprises verbal, tone of voice and non-verbal communication (kinesics). It is this third element that often speaks louder than words. Frequently, this third element is all you need to convey compassion, empathy, understanding plus of course a whole gamut of emotions. It is this third element that's lost or seriously diminished by online and screen-based communications through an absence of non-verbal cues, yet it is fundamental to humans. We all recognise it, subconsciously seek it and have experienced its effect – parent to child, friend to friend, nurse to patient, stranger to stranger. Put simply, it is the glow that exists between human beings and is crucial to our effective communication and the relationships that spring from this. Humanescence is the eponymous name of our consultancy.

 

Where does the word ‘humanescence’ come from?

 

Essentially, seeing what is being lost through our growing reliance on digitised, screen-based media, we came up with the term humanescence in our attempt to express the distinctive power of in-person communication. It is not in the Oxford English Dictionary (yet), but with the galloping advances of AI we believe the term will become more and more part of the vernacular as we focus on what it is that delivers the most authentic, effective and meaningful communications. 

The etymology is derived of humans (as opposed to machines) and of ‘-escence’ to describe the unique energy (glow) that exists between us, referencing phosphorescence, luminescence etc.

 

How does humanescence differ from human essence?

 

Human essence is what it means to be human ie. our defining traits (such as consciousness, rationality, or creativity). Humanescence is the energy that exists between us – fundamental in how we communicate for example trust, empathy, relatability and how we connect with one another. It's lost or impeded in a digital, screen-based, virtual world through an absence of non-verbal cues, so important in detecting nuance, expression and emotion.

 

How can Humanescence help your business?

 

A key question all organisations should be asking themselves is ‘Where’s the humanescence?’. 

Whether considering internal operations or external communications we live in an era of hyper-efficiency facilitated by digitisation. For longer-term sustainability and positive brand-building however, we need to consider the human factor within this – essentially how people feel on the end of your communications. If there is zero humanescence there is less opportunity to generate lasting positive impressions, build trust, loyalty and longer term relationships. When we ask 'where’s the humanescence' we’re asking is there an opportunity to better convey the message, derive greater empathy, understanding, reassurance, compassion, even joy in our communications, that you would elicit were you talking human to human. 

 

For more on this, how important we feel humanescence is in today’s world and how your own organisation can benefit from it, get in touch.