Managing a Team in the Metaverse

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The hype about working in the metaverse is growing, but what does it mean for a Senior Executive with management responsibilities?

What is the Metaverse?

If, like me, you only heard the word ‘Metaverse’ a few months ago, and even then, not had a clue what it was, then allow me, with the help of ‘Google’, to provide a brief explainer –

The Metaverse is a shared digital space containing digital representations of real-life objects.

It anticipates a real-life ‘virtual reality’ by extending the physical world into the digital dimension through technologies such as AR (augmented reality) headsets, glasses and VR (virtual reality) gloves. It seems we will no longer need our phones.

There are already multiple Metaverses in operation. Does anyone remember ‘Second Life’? Like the Metaverse, it received a surge of media attention but fell from fame as users found the interface complex, glitchy and difficult to navigate.

The difference is that we now have more advanced technology, including blockchain, which has allowed the concept behind Second Life to come into its own. In the Metaverses, buyers (using cryptocurrencies) purchase land, buildings, even art for their walls. Has anyone heard of CryptoPunks?

I digress. If you are a senior executive with people management responsibilities, let’s talk about why you need to know about the Metaverse.

As a manager, why is it relevant to you?

There is no doubt that virtual working has had its advantages over the last few years, but it also has had its limitations. It is claimed that the Metaverse’s increased connectivity solves many issues associated with virtual working. Being able to sit around a virtual table and read the body language of your team members should enhance workplace relationships and minimise ‘zoom fatigue’.

Collaborative working is brought to another level in the Metaverse. Imagine specialist engineers in multiple jurisdictions collaborating dynamically on a sandbox project or surgeons working in real-time while students watch.

For employees, so the hype goes, the Metaverse is expected to weaken office worker bias as all employees will operate in the same medium. But will it be a leveller? ?

Working in the Metaverse will create new issues despite the promised benefits of connectivity and flexibility. Many problems in the present workplace risk being replicated and possibly be exacerbated in the Metaverse.

Equality and discrimination

Workplace avatars are a hot topic of conversation. An avatar is the virtual representation of an individual in the Metaverse. Team members will be able to customise their avatar’s appearance, much like choosing what you wear for work.

Although they have been used in online gaming for some time, workplace avatars are a new concept without social standards or expectations. Customisation has options to change race, gender or even pregnancy status.

You can see how this has the potential to create a multitude of issues. Avatars open up a whole new world of discriminatory behaviours - curtailing gender identity, cultural appropriation, stereotyping, harassment, this list goes on.

The extent to which you can request a team member’s avatar be ‘realistic’ may be problematic too. Who are you to interfere with how a team member identifies???

Misconduct

A virtual space or virtual interactions can also feel less “real”, which could impact an individual’s behaviour and the maintaining of professional boundaries. Think social media ‘trolls’ hiding behind in a degree of anonymity. This questions the extent to which a manager can ensure and oversee a safe workspace for their team.

How do you even start to prevent misconduct in an online space that lacks the oversight or governance mechanisms provided by the physical workplace?

The dark side of the Metaverse has come to light recently: you may have recently read about a journalist who was sexually harassed in the Metaverse. Her avatar was groped by another user. Meta – formerly Facebook – responded by imposing a ‘4-foot distance’ between avatars.

The problem is that this is reactionary, not preventative. And doesn’t a ‘4-foot distance’ defeat the purpose? Can this really promote the new level of collaboration that the Metaverse is promising?

Existing workplace policies must be revisited and adapted for compatibility in the Metaverse and will need to be regularly revised as technology advances in order to keep employees safe. ?

As a manager, you will need to be on top of this. You need to ensure you and your team are aware of best practice in the Metaverse (once known) and have appropriate training (once devised). There will be work to do. Doing nothing is not an option.

Diversity and inclusion

Managers will be well acquainted with the duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees. As a result of the pandemic, you will be familiar with making such adjustments to facilitate home working.

However, adjusting to an environment that functions using VR/AR technology will require the adoption of new methods of working. This is new territory, and inevitably it will come with a learning curve for all involved. This will need to be carefully managed.

Employee welfare is another concern. The Metaverse can positively impact employee connectivity, but poor graphics and technical issues will influence the user experience, making employees feel disconnected or disengaged, leading to stress and underperformance.

Users of the VR/AR headsets currently on the market have reported that they can be cumbersome and uncomfortable to use for long periods, which will negatively impact employee well-being.

Whilst the Metaverse could be beneficial in removing some barriers, there is also a risk of exclusion. Managers will need to ensure that VR/AR technology does not exclude employees with disabilities. For instance, will there be knowledge barriers, physical and mental adjustments? For those who already have difficulties in the ‘normal’ workplace, these issues could be made worse. It is a new world of work, and many may find it too difficult to participate in a virtual space.

Employee sentiment

It remains to be seen whether employees will embrace working in the Metaverse. If your company is going down this route, and some say every company will have to one day soon, this will have to be planned carefully and managed.

There is growing commentary that the Metaverse workplace will have little benefit on the working life of employees, who have expressed scepticism about working in the Metaverse. That said, a study commissioned by YouGov showed that 44% of employees in the US, UK, Singapore, China and Japan want to work in the Metaverse, a figure I found surprisingly high.

However, many employees worry about their employer’s ability to facilitate a smooth technical transition into the Metaverse. Consulting with staff about plans to enter the Metaverse, listening to their concerns and working with them to develop ways of working (policies and procedures) will be vital to making this work.

Watch this virtual space

As the Metaverse expands, more legal and regulatory issues come to light which we must be prepared for. Whilst the Metaverse offers exciting possibilities for the future of hybrid working, it will pose several challenges.

Right now, we have limitations with our current technology and infrastructure, and many employees will have legitimate concerns about working in this new digital space.

Employers who take time now to understand the opportunities and limitations of this new virtual reality will be best placed to reap the rewards and bring their employees on board. The workplace is changing, and those standing still will soon be left behind.

Watch out for more articles from Penningtons Manches Cooper over the next few weeks, exploring the Metaverse and its implications for your business.?

Feel free to Get In Touch if you’d like some advice on your real world situation.

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