When we collaborate virtually, the level of engagement increases significantly

A virtual meeting with your team's avatars, including a 3D presentation of the new company building, followed by a chat in the virtual lounge? For Pieter Van Leugenhagen, this is not a distant future scenario. With his company yondr, he has been working in the metaverse for years, building virtual worlds for businesses. So, he's the perfect person to give us a glimpse into the future of work in a digitally enriched world.

It's clear that technology is advancing rapidly. Just 28 years ago, Bill Gates was ridiculed for believing in the professional potential of the internet. Today, a company that isn't online barely counts. Web users have become content providers themselves through websites and social media. We connect to the internet through an increasing number of smart devices, and we network through social media. And who isn't already accustomed to online meetings and interactive gaming?

The metaverse invites us to collaborate virtually as well. "It's a continuation of the current way of working, but in a three-dimensional form," says Pieter. "Virtual collaboration offers tremendous opportunities to engage people more; the level of engagement increases significantly. Calling via 2D video is fine, but you can imagine that it becomes much more interesting in a 3D context – especially with a large group of people. Thanks to games like Roblox and Minecraft, the younger generation is already accustomed to this level of engagement."

Although Mark Zuckerberg's dream of a unified Metaverse where our virtual and real worlds seamlessly blend is still a few years away, more and more companies are already working virtually. So, it's high time to explore the professional opportunities of this evolution.

Digital becomes virtual

Today, more and more entertainers and retail brands are jumping on board, creating their own worlds for branding on gaming industry platforms like Roblox or Fortnite. But the possibilities are much more diverse. A professional 3D environment where you can socialize, learn, and work is also a metaverse.

More and more companies are turning to yondr to use virtual platforms for recruitment, learning, and events. "For HR, the metaverse offers wonderful opportunities. For example, we created a virtual environment for Ikea to onboard a global digital team. For Coca-Cola, we built a metaverse to allow the innovation labs in Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, and London to collaborate virtually. Another example is PwC with its Virtual Park, a metaverse for recruiting. They organize events with consultants on it. You can recognize their avatars by the orange hoodies; they guide you and introduce you to the different business units, sometimes in a playful manner. This way, they warm you up to PwC as an employer. Considering that the current 7 to 20-year-olds will be the next generation in the job market, it's important to be present on the right channels with your employer branding.

The engagement factor is crucial. You simply remember everything much easier when you're personally addressed and the process is interactive. Otherwise, you're just passively listening. You can talk to others, go to the location of the event together, ask questions by raising your hand, meet new colleagues through a game, and so on."

Creating and innovating

Most companies still see too little tangible business value to invest in virtual applications. According to Pieter, this is unjustified. "You don't have to use the virtual world for everything, but for some applications, it's just more efficient. You can combine virtual elements with other components, such as virtual classrooms with self-study and physical workshops. This makes the learning process much more engaging. We're simply working more hybridly; this offers us new possibilities to collaborate more pleasantly and efficiently from various locations.

It's important to keep an eye on the market and experiment with your innovation budget. For example, you could organize a virtual event to save on other costs, such as an international workshop or trade show. By experimenting, you also get your team used to innovation; not everyone is quick to adapt."

How close are we to Zuckerberg's dream according to Pieter? "Meta is launching a third mixed reality headset in October, but the real challenge is to create a user-friendly and stylish AR glasses that you can wear everywhere, like regular glasses. That would enable breakthroughs on a large scale. But where there was talk of 2023 before, it's now 2027. It's not nothing to equip regular glasses with the necessary AR technology. And that glasses isn't the only challenge.

In Zuckerberg's video, you see Marcus Antonius debating during a virtual history lesson in ancient Rome. Someone has to be able to make that realistic. That will still take some effort. We'll also need a more powerful network. And such a metaverse must also be multi-accessible: accessible not only via a VR headset but also via computers, laptops, and mobile phones. We're closely following every evolution.