The workplace of the future: an insight into the Metaverse and VR at work

In a article Published by Meta, we can read that technological advances in VR (virtual reality) will eventually lead to more immersive and useful virtual spaces. And new, improved technologies in augmented reality (AR) and holograms will create environments that seamlessly blend the digital with the physical world around us.

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As organizations embrace these technologies, the benefits of the metaverse will quickly become available to millions of people and workers in various industries, in all parts of the world.

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From team collaboration, to learning and development, to corporate culture. The benefits and scope of application are many. But if we are to be realistic at the same time, the workplace of the future is very much, and perhaps more, about what we can and should do here and now.

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Web 3.0 still needs to show more practical applications before it becomes widespread and truly changes our workplaces. At the same time, at XLNT Workplace we are always interested in monitoring new technologies as well as the opportunity to provide you with better tools for the workplace. Therefore, we list 5 practical areas of application of the metaverse at work that, according to Meta themselves, will fundamentally change the workplace.

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1. Metaverse, VR and AR for better meetings

By creating an internet we can step into, the metaverse comes with huge transformational benefits. We will be able to be with each other without actually being with each other. This will be groundbreaking for meetings and enhanced collaborations.

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Stanford University released a study in the pandemic's wake about fatigue associated with video meetings. The study found that reduced mobility and the absence of body language and other non-verbal cues were strong contributors to the fact that many people may experience longer video meetings as exhausting.

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In a future metaverse, all this may change, as we will be able to create realistic 3D avatars — that is, visual representations of ourselves — that can reflect our body language as we speak. In addition, with the help of VR and AR technology, we will be able to step into meeting environments where we use our avatars, which in aggregate will create significantly more realistic experiences.

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2. The next level of telecommuting

Remote and hybrid work models are after the pandemic here to stay. And although the flexibility of these work models is high, the problem remains that all remote workers do not have a desk, with an optimized setup, which means that they constantly need to set up and optimize their “desktop environment” every time they start work.

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The metaverse offers an effective solution to this problem.

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Because with VR and AR technology, you will be able to take your personally optimized setup with you wherever you are. According to Meta, it can be manifested by multiple screens, set up just the way you want them, or a virtual desktop that you conjure up when you need it.

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Meta believes that you can think of it as a kind of infinite office, which is actually already possible in fully immersive VR environments offered by, for example, the Oculus Quest 2. But, in due course, a new generation of AR glasses - not much bigger or heavier than regular glasses - will make it possible to conjure desks, screens and much more in our real world, in such a way that we see them as part of our physical environment.

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3. Metaverse for better job training

We all know that the internet has already revolutionized the way we learn and take in new information. Meta believes that the metaverse will be able to take this a step further. When instructors will be able to move from using screens to using VR and AR environments, the shift will shift from telling to actually showing and demonstrating being a reality.

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And as we know, the vast majority of us learn best when we not only listen but also get to do. In a future metaverse, employees around the world and in every industry will have the chance to observe, stand by, take part in practical moments and learn from the best in their industry.

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4. VR rooms to enhance the traditional workplace

At work, many of us listen to music to get in the right mood. But in a metaverse, our ability to adapt and shape the environment we operate in will extend far beyond just choosing our favorite song.

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We will be able to create and enter completely new VR and AR environments that are personally optimized for different types of tasks. Do you want to focus better in order to give yourself the hang of a creative project? Then there are VR rooms for that. Need to brainstorm with the team, and channel creative energy? Then you use AR which adds new, and hopefully creative digital elements to the conference room.

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With Web 3.0 and all the creative tools that come with it, the possibilities for creating custom environments are virtually endless. And the degree of being able to shape and refine our immediate environment to suit our needs and preferences at the moment will be significantly higher than it is today.

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5. The Metaverse to Revolutionizing Corporate Culture

Today, working life and the workplace are often structured through hierarchical spaces. There are elite spaces: the global headquarters, the top floor, the boardroom. And all too often, especially in large organizations, these spaces serve as tools to keep senior leaders shielded from front-line employees: in the satellite office, in the factory, and so on.

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By introducing the metaverse into the workplace, one can not only change the way one interacts with the physical workplace, but also create new opportunities for changing the corporate culture.

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Because, with the help of the metaverse, we will be able to create spaces that everyone, even those in the most globally dispersed organizations, has access to. Meta calls this a democratization of physical space, which will help break down organizational barriers and ultimately have significant implications for changing corporate culture for the better. When the factory worker can have an afterwork beer with the CEO, the path to change and understanding is shorter, at least in theory.

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What do you want for a workplace?

We work daily to change both the physical and digital working environment for our customers. We are happy to help you too. Get in touch and we'll tell you more.

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