Will we ever really work in the metaverse?

However, Lavers acknowledges there are plenty of challenges to overcome, including equipping people with the necessary training and equipment. Offering access to some people, but not everybody, could do more harm than good.

“Everyone should have equal access, or you risk creating further divisions in the workforce,” he says.

There’s also the aspect of privacy and safety. Ben Hamley, JLL’s Future of Work Lead in the Asia Pacific region, believes governance and regulation is rightly a hot topic.

“Setting out clear protocols around use, that cover wellbeing, security and data privacy – such as the type of personal information stored – will be key to reassuring companies and employees that the metaverse is a desirable and safe place to work.”

Workers already expect 60% of meetings in the future to combine virtual and physical elements, in part because hardware and software integrations are evolving rapidly. Take enterprise solution Meetingroom.io, which can be accessed from any device and lets users join meetings in virtual rooms complete with whiteboards.

Some big firms are already working in the metaverse. In 2021, Accenture bought 60,000 VR headsets for new-hire orientation and training. JPMorgan has created Onyx, a virtual lounge located in Decentraland, while Deloitte’s Virtual Campus in Virbela caters for both internal activities and international events.