We’ve already discussed the benefits of the Metaverse to training and team development, but what changes will employers need to make in order to get started and how will it impact the labor market?

There are two core areas to consider: the infrastructure and the cultural shift. In order to take advantage of any of the benefits of the Metaverse will bring to the labor market, companies will need robust technical infrastructure. This will mean investing in the best connections, speeds and bandwidth available, so if any of these areas are currently lacking, now is the time to take action. Enabling all staff to participate may also require investment in software licenses and hardware such as VR headsets.  

Secondly, the management of multiple environments will require different strategies than we’re used to. Multiple environments may mean HR, policy leads and business leaders will need to prioritize and plan differently for this new chapter, similar to the shift the internet produced in the 90s.

Company culture, not office location

Company culture is built on shared experience, so having employees communicating and collaborating from diverse and remote places can be powerful. Younger employees will already spend time in the Metaverse, so will derive confidence from their ability to navigate these environments. The opportunity to create connections in this space with their older colleagues, who are better versed in company etiquette, will be beneficial for both sides as they learn from each other.

Operating in an open environment 

If the Metaverse is to continue as an open, democratic and decentralized project, any effort to control it must be resisted. In the social media world, major players have sought and obtained dominance, which stifles innovation. This will include interoperability between different virtual worlds, a principle that will require complete acceptance amongst participants.

Next level hybrid

Now that we’ve reached peak hybrid working, what does the future work model look like? The pandemic exposed the businesses who had lagged behind on flexible working and the necessary infrastructure. The Metaverse will require integrated models that blur the lines between physical, online and virtual reality work and allow employees to travel between them seamlessly. This means that the remaining office based roles such as reception and admin will finally cross over to the virtual world. They will also look much more like the current consumer environment – using avatars, consoles, VR headsets and haptic and motion control technology.

Metaverse economy

We won’t just see changes to our existing economies – the Metaverse will eventually spawn its own enterprises and new roles will emerge alongside them. For some companies there are income streams to pursue in the Metaverse, and others will simply transfer or mirror their processes and communication activities in the virtual world. Employment services need to consider not just the changes to how and where we work that will arise from this, but the new skills needed and how to move job seekers into pioneering new roles that become available.

New job roles

New roles in the virtual world are about to emerge, and it will be easier than ever to pick up the skills needed to take them on, thanks to the way the Metaverse and AI will revolutionize training. By 2030, it’s predicted that data bounty hunters, metaverse construct architects, ecosystem developers and even world builders, could be the job titles people train for and occupy. 

Behind all of this, you need a robust, forward looking system that grows with our economy, both in the real and virtual worlds. WCC’s Employment Portals will continue to provide optimal match technology to get the right people into the right jobs.