Why workplace engagement and collaboration are the true benefits of the metaverse [Q&A]

The trend towards hybrid work has meant that face-to-face meetings have been widely supplanted by collaboration tools like Zoom, Teams and Slack.

With the advent of the metaverse, virtual interaction is set to become even more common. We spoke to Martin Bodley, director of emerging business at Bose Work to find out more about how this new world might look and how it can draw on expertise gained from video games.

BN: What is your forecast for the adoption of the metaverse in working spaces?

MB: The metaverse is in its infancy, but it is advancing quickly and is coming to working spaces faster than many realize. While some people are returning to the office -- Kastle's Back to Work Barometer shows that for the week ended January 25, office occupancy averaged 50.4 percent across 10 major cities -- many continue to work from home. Workers need to stay connected with each other, and that’s why videoconferences via Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Google Meet maintain their popularity. It is also why Gartner predicts that 30 percent of metaverse technology investments made through 2027 will go toward virtual workspaces.

Businesses understand the important role the metaverse could play in the future of meetings, particularly for Gen Z and the generations that follow. Bain & Company's report shows that tomorrow's workers (age 13-17) are prime candidates for metaverse workspaces, as they already prefer interactive video games over other, more fixed forms of entertainment -- something that sets them apart from older generations. As their passions spill over into their profession, they may find value in virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) working environments.

BN: How is the metaverse currently being utilized in digital workspaces?

MB: One of the most notable examples involves Mesh, Microsoft's 3D avatar concept for Teams. Building on its combination of messaging, document collaboration and videoconferencing, Mesh allows meeting participants to swap their real faces with avatars. The animations and interactive backgrounds look like something out of a video game, but the idea is that people may feel more comfortable in meetings if they can put their best virtual face forward. Avatars may also make it more fun for people to interact in the metaverse and ultimately encourage them to collaborate more often. With AR and VR headsets, Microsoft hopes Mesh will help people connect with greater depth and dimension than current technology allows when working remotely.

In addition to Microsoft, Zoom is also exploring the metaverse with various concepts, including virtual environments and Immersive View.

BN: How do you expect VR and AR technologies to influence digital workers?

MB: I think both VR and AR technologies will positively influence digital workers by keeping them focused on the task at hand. Traditional videoconferencing is great, but accidental cameo appearances became quite common during the pandemic. This can distract participants from the important work at hand, even if only for a moment. In a metaverse workspace, all background imagery could be replaced by virtual creations that prevent these distractions from being broadcasted.

There are other things to consider as well -- particularly the subtle gestures, body language and additional unspoken cues that go into communication, which are increasingly important for meetings that include people from different cultures. In a typical videoconference, where people often don't see much more than a talking head on a screen, these things may prove difficult to decipher. But as VR headsets advance and become more user-friendly, we will see greater deployment of avatars that relay the real-time personas and movements of our clients and co-workers. This will help amplify each person's subtle personality traits and allow remote collaboration to become a more personable and authentic experience.

BN: What do you see for the future of virtual meetings drawing from videogames?

MB: There's a reason why big tech firms are poaching developers from traditional game studios: they recognize the developers' talents and abilities to create incredible, highly immersive worlds. These firms may have no desire to get into video games, but a lot of the same skill sets can be applied to other areas -- particularly the ability to build environments that inspire people to return. This is what it will take to transform virtual meetings into a format people look forward to experiencing, rather than one they simply utilize when necessary.

Video games can also teach the working world about how to stay more engaged. People are, by nature, easily distracted -- it doesn't take more than a Google search to find research and commentary on this conclusion. Distractions can put a damper on any meeting, whether working in-person, remotely or in a hybrid environment. Gamification, a process that turns generic tasks into interactive, video game-like experiences, could help organizations overcome this challenge.

How would this work in a business setting? That's still being figured out, but early concepts include brief quizzes and virtual rewards for participation, or leaderboards that highlight the top meeting participants. Zoom is already equipped with breakout rooms that enable people to connect privately, solve problems or answer questions in a quiz. But this is just the tip of the iceberg for what gamification could entail.

BN: Looking ahead, what do you think the impacts will be of metaverse-based collaboration in the workplace?

MB: First and foremost, the metaverse stands to make work and collaboration far more immersive and engaging. UC providers understand this and have already pledged their support for 3D avatars and other virtual world features, paving the way for metaverse workspaces that are as appealing as they are productive. JPMorgan opened a virtual lounge in Decentraland for that very reason -- execs at the financial services firm believe that the metaverse will develop into an opportunity worth $1 trillion in annual revenue.

Other companies, including Nike have entered the metaverse either to sell things like digital sneakers or promote their brand with virtual food. In any case, their ventures show significant interest in the technology.

As people spend more moments in virtual spaces during their leisure time, their desire to do so at work will only increase and allow employees to collaborate in new and innovative ways.

Image Credit: Tischenko Irina / Shutterstock