See You in the Metaverse!
- By CDOTrends editors
- August 29, 2022
A new study found hundreds of businesses are looking for, or have already built, office space in the virtual technology known as the Metaverse.
Regus, part of flexible workspace provider IWG, found that two-thirds (66%) of leaders in the business world view Metaverse's virtual reality as an inevitable evolution of digital collaboration. On the other hand, half (48%) are exploring the possibility of opening up new office space within an online environment for their employees.
Metaverse and business leaders
Business leaders believe that the Metaverse, a system enabling workers in different locations to interact via 3D avatars, will significantly impact workplace communication.
One of the expected results of Metaverse is that it will lead to more flexible working arrangements, as employees will no longer feel pressured to work from one location, according to 70% of the respondents.
In addition, business leaders believe that the Metaverse will offer flexibility in how people can interact with each other and experience digital information. Aside from flexibility, other benefits include more diverse workplaces (62%), improved mental health (57%), reduced presenteeism (54%), and better relations between remote and office-based staff (54%).
Seven in 10 (71%) respondents also said that the new system would present opportunities for new businesses, an encouraging sign amid fears that an economic recession may be looming.
Metaverse and employees
Despite the enthusiasm of many business owners for the Metaverse, some office workers fear that their employers will not be bold enough to implement new technologies.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of people think their employers will wait to see how other businesses fare with virtual reality before investing in it, while less than half (46%) believe their company will be an early adopter. Only 6% of business owners think their company will adopt the technology within the next year, with most (33%) expecting it to take three to four years for such a significant change to occur.
Employees' enthusiasm for new technology is often based on the benefits they perceive it will bring them. Communication between team members (44%), teamwork (41%), remote working opportunities (40%), and creativity (39%) was identified by staff as the most significant advantages of working in the Metaverse.
In the same survey, 44% of staff cited communication among team members as the most significant advantage of working in the Metaverse. Additionally, 41% pointed to teamwork and 40% to remote working opportunities as advantages. Finally, creativity was listed by 39% of respondents as a benefit of working in the Metaverse.