HEX Nation

People and organizations that are progressing humanity, society, and the planet

Welcome!

HEX Nation is our borderless global community of clients, HEX Practitioners, and partners, which encourages freedom of thought within our movement to inspire and energise our collective progress. Members gain access to and co-create exclusive content, insights, events, and information to support their colleagues, companies, and careers. Members often feature in our publications and directly lead/contribute to our work.

2021-22 Research and Impact Agenda

Content and collaboration for members in 2021-22 focuses on our strategic priorities (below). This is aligned to our research, publication, and thought leadership agenda. The theme for 2021 is the 'Human Experience at Work'. Within this, there are six major sub-themes, namely:

Human Leadership: In an uncertain and challenging world, human-centred leadership is of critical importance. Developing organizations filled with high quality leaders who put people-first and lead with empathy, compassion, and integrity is a high priority to create sustainable and impactful businesses especially in light of widespread remote and 'essential worker' arrangements due to COVID-19. We are keen to see examples of a systematic commitment to human-centred leadership, at every touchpoint across the human experience at work.

The Hybrid Organization: The world of work has changed, in many cases, for the better. With more choice and control over how outcomes are delivered, workers and companies have begun to understand the potential of building their companies around life in a holistic way. We are actively observing new models and ways of delivering positive outcomes across different workforces and contexts. We are keen to explore the consequences, challenges, and outcomes associated with a balanced approach to work between home, office, and elsewhere.

Business for all stakeholders: A shift has been taking place within corporations in recent years to promote a business agenda that better serves all stakeholders within and around a business, rather than a narrow focus on shareholders, short-term profits, and ideas associated with perpetual economic growth. This is an area of great interest (and potential long-term impact) and we are studying companies that take a multi-stakeholder view in and across their business operations today.

Redefining Performance: What is high performance in 2021? High performance can often be delivered to the detriment of others, and there is a growing argument that 'winning at all costs' is no longer a viable path forward to create admired, respected and trusted brands. Is it 'high performance' if people, planet or partners suffer as a result of a brand's growth agenda? This theme is also being explored in the context of changes in expectations at individual, organizational, and societal levels. How people are enabled to deliver their performance is also an area to explore given the rise of the surveillance economy (Eg. tracking, intrusive and inhumane performance software) in the workplace, and changes to performance systems and approaches (Eg. systematic focus on outcomes rather than the traditional dependency on rigid and controlling bureaucracy and inputs).

Our Planet: Businesses have a profound opportunity to make a positive contribution to the planet. They also have limitless potential to create or facilitate a wide range of negative outcomes in the world. In 2021, the economy is moving beyond a narrow focus on fragmented CSR , environment and sustainability initiatives. We are actively exploring cases and examples where organizations have built or pivoted their business models into planet-friendly enterprises.

A New 'HR': The notion and management idea that humans are merely 'resources' is being strongly challenged by those practicing in the HR profession and HR outliers around the world. The question now is concerned with what comes next? How can organizations create internal support functions that better serve people and the human experience at work? The momentum behind more progressive ideas is increasing, and this will be high on our agenda again this year.

Please do get in touch if you would like to support or contribute to these themes and our publications. Members are also welcome to lead special HEX Groups within or outside of their organizations focused on any of the sub-themes.

You can also book a talk or briefing on any of these themes to add value to your on-going strategy development and operational efforts across the HEX.