By Ravi Chamria
There’s a lot of talk about whether the Metaverse is all hype or the real deal. But one thing’s for sure; technology never stops evolving. The Metaverse, a turbo-charged version of our current digital experiences, is gearing up to change the future of work and the world of work at large. It’s a frontier we’re just beginning to explore.
The advantages to working in the metaverse equals to more effective hybrid & remote workings
While tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet have been handy, they’ve always been just that – tools. They help us get the job done but lack that personal touch, the feeling of being ‘together.’ The Metaverse offers something different. It offers ‘presence,’ a shared virtual space that feels real, more than just faces on a screen.
Remember when the pandemic pushed us towards Zoom meetings and Slack discussions? We’ve come a long way since. The hybrid working model is now the new norm. Not only because it’s convenient or it saves us from the commute and the pre-packaged sandwiches, but also because it simply works. In fact, studies suggest we’re 9% more productive working from home.
But the Metaverse promises to take this a step further. Think of it as a virtual office that comes to life, promoting interaction and collaboration more naturally than any video conference could. It can keep the essence of a community intact even when the members are miles apart. Imagine walking into a virtual office, feeling as though you are physically present with your colleagues, experiencing the spontaneity of water-cooler conversations and brainstorming sessions – all in real-time.
One feature that provides this sense of realism is spatial audio which modulates the direction and volume of sounds based on your virtual position and the capacity to depict facial expressions and hand gestures. While in its nascent stage, it sets the stage for what’s possible – a future where remote working doesn’t just mimic but enhances our physical workspace experience.
Industries Primed for a Metaverse Boost
The Metaverse offers tantalizing possibilities for industries that thrive on collaboration. Imagine, for instance, a supervisor. From their desk, they could survey a factory or construction site thousands of miles away, touching, inspecting, and managing operations as if they were on the ground.
Consider the IT industry. Teams working on complex projects are often dispersed globally. In the Metaverse, these professionals can convene in a shared virtual space, working together in real-time to code, debug, and test their software. As hinted in the video released by Zuckerberg & team, it’s highly likely that the ‘Meta’ team is already exploring this possibility.
Healthcare professionals could harness the Metaverse for collaborative discussions. For instance, medical teams stationed in different parts of the world could discuss a critical patient’s case, study diagnostic images, and jointly strategize treatment plans in a shared virtual space, thus enhancing telemedicine capabilities.
For Design and Architecture, the Metaverse could be a playground for co-creation. Professionals can share a virtual studio, interact with 3D models, make real-time modifications, and visualize designs together, making the process more hands-on and intuitive.
Beyond these, numerous sectors – from Education to Entertainment – stand on the brink of transformation, with the metaverse promising unprecedented modes of collaboration.
The future of work lies in the middle ground
The arrival of Metaverses doesn’t mean our offices will shift entirely into the cloud. It doesn’t mean we’ll clock in 8-hour days in VR nor hold all our meetings as avatars. It’s a blend – using cutting-edge tech without forgetting the worth of a Zoom call or a face-to-face chat. Though the specifics are unclear, with the right boundaries, the future of immersive work is promising.
The author is founder, CEO, Zeeve
