5 Ways the Metaverse Workspace Helps Build a Stronger Team
Table of Contents
Metaverse is one of the hottest buzzwords in the tech world.
However, the overarching concept of the metaverse could have a powerful effect on businesses globally and reshape the modern workspace.
How? Let’s take a look.
What is the metaverse, anyway?
Before we look at the metaverse workspace, let’s define the metaverse a little. Currently, the idea is very open, as it is still very much in development. However, its core concept is that of a 3D virtual world that blends seamlessly with the ‘real world and offers a one-stop gateway to online activities powered by AR, VR, and so on. Decentralization is a key feature of the metaverse, removing governmental and company control in favor of the community using it.
It is conceptualized as a platform for fun, work, education, training, and commerce, powered by blockchain technology. It should be a virtual world that feels like real life, where you can interact with people and objects as if you were there.
However, some people still don’t trust the metaverse completely. According to ExpressVPN’s study, the majority of workers worry about their privacy and work-life balance.
So how can this impact business and workspaces? Let’s see.
New Jobs on Offer
AR and VR are both coming into their own of late. The market is expected to top $210 billion by the end of the year and has many promising stats. So, it is natural that new employment opportunities will arise in the metaverse. Think about everything from AI and 3D design to UX and interaction design, metaverse-specific services, and much more.
You could become a metaverse marketer, selling community building and engagement to those using the metaverse. Or a metaverse-based fashion designer helping people shape their avatar into the best possible version of itself.
Of course, it is near-inevitable that cyberspace security will become a metaverse hot topic, so we expect to see a lot more development in this sector. Architects, planners, and coding-related positions will be a must, too. And we’re sure there will be many more!
New Meeting Spaces
If you were hoping to escape meetings, conferences, and events, that’s likely not on the cards! However, they’re guaranteed to become quite different. We should see a wholly reinvented space for networking, collaboration, and communication. People can ‘meet’ face to face without having to share the same physical or geographic location, and you will be able to build meaningful networks without traveling.
Of course, this will also boost accessibility for vast swathes of people. As we saw in the pandemic, virtual events have a lot of potentials. Imagine kicking away the need to be in the same location as event hosts or key figures entirely! This can also broaden the horizons for people limited by finances or disabilities.
The cost of these events should also be reduced while simultaneously reaching a wider audience. Imagine attending an online concert with millions of fans in the same space! Travel and accommodation are no longer needed as a cost factor. Plus, we will be able to gather more valuable data about who attends and what their interests and intersectionalities are.
Immersive Experiences
Augmented reality offers many fantastic ways to enhance learning, training, and workspaces. Now power that up with the broader metaverse concept. We’re looking at better learning outcomes, improved employee performance, and reduced costs.
Learning in the classroom limits many people. Now imagine that learning is reimagined for a 3D environment. You can appeal to more learning styles and better refine the learning experience. People can fully immerse themselves in the environment in question. People of all ages and social classes can face a broader democratization in access to resources, and facilitators can trial concepts and ideas easily. Updates to curriculums will get faster and more responsive.
Social Working
The biggest drawback for many trapped in work-from-home is the lack of workplace social interaction. From building valuable connections to bouncing ideas off the team, being able to get in touch with your colleagues is critical. The metaverse means you can interact with each other no matter where you are. We can also add a layer of discretion and privacy back to this interaction, which will benefit many.
Production Environments
Think of the Internet of Things, but bigger and bolder. With new digital spaces to connect in, we can make better products. The potential is there in interactions with the customer, finding new customers, or just making better products.
And imagine new AI, VR, 5G, and cyber-physical systems added to that model. Real-time remote-control applications with nearly no latency could become a reality soon. So, we could even see industrialized factory spaces in the metaverse. You can ‘test drive new products in a realistic environment or design new machines seamlessly. You can solicit customer feedback and insight without hassle, testing them in a virtual environment. In short, the world is your oyster.
Final Thoughts
Of course, the metaverse is not without its potential challenges for workers. However, the metaverse concept offers a space with collaboration and innovation that seems set to revolutionize how we work and play forever. In fact, we’d go as far as to say it will change how we think about work forever. In a virtual world, work is whatever we want it to be, with infinite spaces open to further develop and expand the business footprint.
With digital avatars to ‘add back’ the human experience to the digital landscape and a wealth of expanded workplace options open to us, a truly global working environment will unroll. While the metaverse concept is still in development, it will be a seismic shift in how we think about work and play- so it is time for forward-thinking businesses to start planning their metaverse expansion today.