For the past two years, we’ve spent a lot of time working remotely. And would you know it, many of us actually liked it!
A majority of the people prefer it to traditional office work, actually.
Nearly 70% of people say that they would prefer working from the comfort of their homes instead of going back to the office. That's because, today you can do your job, help a colleague out, and be more productive from home.
Things aren't perfect, of course.
Many people report suffering feeling mentally strained due to the lack of human connection. Office work, after all, has its perks. One of the major ones is the much-needed human interaction.
But thanks to the Metaverse, we could soon be working remotely without feeling mentally exhausted. If you’re one of us wondering, what will my virtual workplace look like in the future? We’re here to try and answer the question. First, let’s see…
What's This "Metaverse" We're Talking About?
The Metaverse is a shared, virtual space where people can meet and interact with each other. It's a bit like the internet in that sense, but it's also quite different.
The Metaverse will be a 3D world that you can explore and customize to your heart's content. You'll be able to create an avatar that looks and dresses however you want, and you'll be able to interact with other people in real-time.
Think of it as a virtual world that's an upgrade to the internet.
But we're still like a century away from living in the Metaverse? The concept is just too sci-fi, isn't it? While, yes, we won't be spending every minute of our living lives with a VR-set on our head any time soon, the Metaverse, in one way or another, is already here.
There are many examples of it. Some of them are work-related.
What Will You Workday in the Metaverse Look Like?
The Metaverse is already here. However, we're still in the transitioning phases. It will take time before we can start working in the virtual work space. Of course, nothing is stopping us from thinking about it. Here's what your ordinary workday will look like in the Metaverse, compared to your average day now.
1. Will You Have to Waste Time Commuting?
First off, good news. You won't have to commute. Today, the average American wastes 54 hours a year on commuting. You can live anywhere in the world and work for a company based on the other side of the planet. All you need is a good internet connection. No more wasting hours (and money) on commuting. That one was pretty obvious.
2. Will There Be Any Virtual Coffee Break Activities?
Here, not much will change. You'll be able to have your coffee in the morning, peacefully. During the afternoon, after some work is done, you can go to your dedicated virtual coffee room, stumble upon a teammate, and have a quick chat.
3. What Will Happen With Your Lunch Break?
Well, you won't have to go and waste time in your cafeteria, that's for sure. Here, you have two options: you can disconnect from your online virtual office and go for lunch by yourself, or you can see if there's a team member nearby and head for a quick lunch.
4. What About the Good Ol’ After-Work Drink?
Ah, the biggest casualty of remote work. Grabbing a beer or two with your team after work is a staple. This ritual will probably be replaced by pre-planned online meetings, where you can chat and have a few drinks among yourselves. You already have platforms like Meetups that allow digital nomads and workers to socialize.
5. The Dreaded Team Meetings?
Around 7 out of 10 people say they're spending too much time in meetings each week. That distracts them from doing their job and forces them to work extra hours. Although that is not something we can fully eradicate in the Metaverse, the fact that we are not all in person in the office together forces us to think of our workflows. Do we need to all be online at the same time? How much synchronous and asynchronous work do we allow? A lot of teams are actively trying to reduce their number of meeting hours and we think the number of hours in meetings will keep decreasing.
6. Will There Be Conference Calls?
Remote work is all bout video conferencing. However, as we head into the Metaverse, classic video conferencing will be enhanced by VR technology. Virtual workplacesand surroundings will be able to simulate the office experience to a T, diminishing the need for awkward calls, where you spend a majority of the time waiting for your turn to talk.
7. What Will Life Look Like Outside Work?
Just five years ago, more than 30% of the American population lived with someone they're not romantically involved with or related to. Not only will this trend continue, but companies themselves will get in on the action, creating co-living spaces for their team members living in the same geo-location.
What Areas of Work Will Change the Most?
So yeah, while the future will look similar to the way we do things now, it will still come with a ton of changes. What will change the most?
Here are a couple of things we're certain about:
- In-person meetings won’t be so work-focused: We’ve all seen how many meetings are actually better virtually than in person (think of brainstorming on Miro or working together on a document). With all team members present in one virtual space, the need for business-related in-person meetings will lessen. These meet-ups will focus more on socializing and getting to know each other.
- Socializing will be more intentional: Grabbing a bite or drink after work is pretty casual. Not with remote work. If you want to go out and see your colleague, you’ll need to plan it in advance. We predict that this will result in an increase in social events, quarterly company trips, coworking days, and even weekend getaways.
- People will have larger social bubbles: In a traditional office, most of your team members live in the same city. With the expansion of remote work, teams are becoming more and more worldwide. Our social bubbles will become larger. Meeting with teammates around the world will naturally involve more coordination and planning.
- Unique experiences will be more sought-after: As the working from home workday is relatively similar, more money will be spent on experiences just to spice up our work weeks. This can include access to coworking spaces such as WeWork or Spaces (We provide free coworking to everyone at Kosy), Thirdspace, Soho House, or any other social clubs.
What Will the My Virtual Workplace Look Like?
In a nutshell, the future of work will look very similar to how we do things now, but with more technological advances.
We'll be doing our work online, in virtual spaces, and socializing will take on a whole new meaning. Will there be conference calls? You betcha! But with new platforms, they'll be easier and more productive.
You already have platforms like Kosy that allow you to get a taste of the Metaverse in 2022.
Kosy is a virtual office that allows teams to build their own workplaces online, walk around and chat with teammates, and most importantly, collaborate with each other just like you're back in the office. If you're interested in Kosy, make sure to contact us for a free trial today.
