Metaverse and the future of workplace

Recently the business world was taken by storm by a piece of news that hit their screen. It said 150,000 new hires at Accenture spent their first day of work in the metaverse. It was big and definitely hit a nerve for people who started new jobs in the work-from-home model. They missed the fun induction, meeting their new colleagues, and the whole experience in general. For several others, it was the water cooler chat, walking to a colleague to get updates, impromptu collaboration for brainstorming, and much more.

With a brand like Accenture trying its best to be at the forefront of the metaverse trend for employees who can join from anywhere and still have a real-life orientation, the question is how long before other players join the club.

 How viable is it for organizations?

Let’s look at the incorporation angle first. The metaverse comes with the need for different technologies, including VR platforms, gaming, AL/ML, blockchain, 3-D graphics, digital currencies, sensors, and so much more. While tech-savvy organizations may be able to put together the star cast to make it happen, smaller players are probably going to take a while. This is considering we have figured out the deep end of the pool. Truth be told, most organizations should not need anything more than a computer, mouse, and keyboard to get a flavor. A 3D headset can give an immersive experience and that is a little less of an investment. But, it is tech-heavy.

On the investment front, it isn't much of a change. On a bigger level, organizations can save resources used in their offices such as electricity, power, and other utilities, while still remaining open for people who opt to come to the office.

Why should an organization opt for it?

Here is the million-dollar question. The metaverse comes with numerous advantages overall after the extensive deployment phase. 

• Employees spend lesser time traveling
• Could be the best way to employ talent from across the globe
• Real-time collaboration and working is a lot easier
• Picking a conversation randomly (human contact) becomes easier
• With an avatar, people who are reluctant to have a camera on can feel free

As a result of most of these advantages, organizations can witness growth in employee morale without hampering performance and results. Think of every task that we could have accomplished better with the fear of getting home through traffic hanging over our heads.

But, will organizations actually pick it?

Despite the slightly complicated deployment and change management process, organizations are highly likely to pick metaverse as the way to go.

In Bill Gates’ “How To Prevent The Next Pandemic” he feels that of all the areas that are forever changed by the pandemic, workplace work will see the most dramatic shift. However, to make it actually possible, organizations and employees need to work together.

• The best way to optimize commuter traffic in areas with tech parks would be that every company pick different days
• Better change management among conservative managers
• The hiring process will need to check candidate preferences

And he is spot on. In fact, the idea of using a virtual 3D avatar—a version of yourself—to meet and interact with your colleagues, clients, and vendors helps bring together the feeling of being together in real life, irrespective of which part of the globe you work from. With this new and empowered “human contact”, the workplace can be a lot more collaborative, engaging, active, and social. And the good news is that several tech players started working on this model way before the pandemic. 

Prior to Covid, only 20% of people worked from home, but that number increased to 70% during the pandemic, and even as early as December 2020, 54% of people said they are likely to continue working from home after the pandemic ends. And that number is only growing. So while we may or may not be heading toward the end of the pandemic, metaverse gives organizations a wider range of talent to pick from without the limitations of geography and employees get the advantage of not missing real-life interaction while enjoying the flexibility and comfort of working from home. As for the employees, there is so much to gain and almost nothing to lose. All this while possibly reducing the overall emission that comes from traffic and commute. Just the brighter side.

While organizations may have reasons to not opt for it, changemakers are starting to step toward a more technology-powered workplace and the metaverse could hold a large part in making it a reality. Does that mean real-life workplaces are going to be obsolete?

Highly impossible!

But, the metaverse gives us more to choose from. And, don't we all love being spoilt for choice?