Skip to main content

Meetings in the metaverse? 52% of employees are open to it

Hesitancy to accept the idea of working in the metaverse is a genuine concern for the proponents of such an idea. But according to a recent Work Trend Index report from Microsoft, most workers are open to doing at least some of their work in the metaverse.

According to the report, 52% of workers “are open to using digital immersive spaces in the metaverse for meetings or team activities next year.” Slightly fewer (47%) are OK representing themselves with a digital avatar in these meetings.

An infographic from Work Trend Index showing workers' general interest in working in the metaverse.

How comfortable workers are with the metaverse also reflects in their age, which is to be expected. About 51% of Gen Z and 48% of millennial workers are the most interested in using the metaverse for work, with 37% of Gen Xers being open to it. Unsurprisingly, only a quarter (27%) of Baby Boomers are keen on using the metaverse for work.

Sixteen percent of workers don’t want anything to do with the metaverse, and about 13% aren’t even sure what it is. That’s just under one-third of the workforce. Given how new the metaverse is (in a mainstream sense, that is), it’s interesting to see how many people are open to the idea of using it, especially for work.

Debates over the merits of remote work have been going on ever since the pandemic began. The metaverse could bridge the gap between managers who want to stay connected to their team and workers who want the flexibility of working from home.

A vision of Meta's metaverse in the work setting.
Meta

The metaverse — as it’s been discussed in recent years — is a VR or augmented reality social environment that allows friends, family, and even co-workers to interact with each other in a digital space.

If you have seen Ready Player One, you probably understand the basic core concept, though the metaverse is nowhere near that level of sophistication (at least not yet).

Editors' Recommendations

Caleb Clark
Caleb Clark is a full-time writer that primarily covers consumer tech and gaming. He also writes frequently on Medium about…
No, the Quest Pro can’t really replace your laptop — at least, not yet
This is the view from within a Meta Quest Pro when using a physical keyboard.

The new Quest Pro is the most premium VR headset that Meta makes, and it promises to increase your productivity while providing greater comfort. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said multiple times that headsets need to begin replacing the functionality of PCs and laptops -- and this device certainly seems to be as close as we've ever been.

So, should you sell off your laptop in exchange for a $1,500 headset? Well, not so fast.
What the Quest Pro can do now

Read more
How long does the Quest Pro battery really last? Here’s Meta’s answer
Meta gave an example of what you can see when wearing a Quest Pro.

There has been some confusion and controversy about the Quest Pro's battery life, which isn't shown on Meta's product page. If you search for this information online, you'll find conflicting answers that swing wildly between one hour and five hours. Some variation is normal with any battery-operated device, because it depends on how it's used.

However, the difference shouldn't be that large when stating average battery life, so why is there so much variance? Some journalists who got an early look at the Meta Quest Pro reported that its battery lasts about 2 hours. On the other hand, two Meta executives, Andrew Bosworth and John Carmack, have stated publicly on Twitter that, in their experience, the Quest Pro lasts for 4 to 5 hours.

Read more
The Quest Pro officially lands, ready to power the office of the metaverse
Meta Quest Pro is held by Mark Zuckerberg.

The Meta Quest Pro has been officially announced at Meta Connect 2022, the company's first attempt at a VR headset designed for professional users. It's an impressive upgrade to the aging Quest 2 hardware as Meta continues to push for a future that centers around the metaverse.

The Quest Pro's display has been greatly improved and the headset is slimmer, and although it is heavier, it's more balanced, which Meta says provides a more comfortable experience. Even the controllers look more compact, losing the iconic tracking ring, improving the appearance of the entire system. The Quest Pro doesn't just look better, it packs much more advanced hardware also.

Read more