28 Feb Metaverse: People First

Gartner predicts 25% of people will spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse for work, shopping, education, social and/or entertainment by 2026. What could be happening in the metaverse for our organizations and our people? How could the metaverse transform HR?

Here is a list of actions that in the future could be moved to a different dimension and some upcoming challenges for which we need to be prepared.

1. The metaverse: opportunity vs digital divide

If on one hand the new digital and virtual space will facilitate collaboration, create new opportunities such as increasing diversity into our teams, on the other hand it may highlight some differences. What about those who do not have access to such technologies? New generations who are digital natives will feel confident straightaway, what about the other generations? How can we guarantee digital training for everyone and, consequently, that everyone is included? Equity and inclusion must remain the heart of our organizations.

2. Employee handbook vs Employee Metaverse guide

Considering the metaverse as a professional setting, HR will need to write new policies in order to determine and define what a virtual inappropriate behaviour is. Guaranteeing that no harassment, abuse or bullying take place should be number one priority. Also, thinking about policies, certainly new hybrid working policies will no longer be an option so to work in a safe and healthy metaverse.

3. From the Transformational Leader to the Metaverse Leader

In the past few years resilience and transformation have been often linked to a successful type of leadership. Now it is time for another evolutional step: how can a leader be an example to follow in the virtual world and which skills will these kind of leaders need to have? How will human interactions take place in the new virtual world?

4. Hiring processes in the metaverse

For some might still seem fantasy, for others it is reality. As you can read here some companies have already experimented talent hiring processes in the metaverse. For example, the UK’s branch of PwC created Virtual Park, a metaverse platform, to interview job candidates. Samsung instead has hosted a virtual recruitment fair. Can you imagine recruitment and onboarding processes as 3-D simulations and trainings?

A truly new way of working is getting closer to us. Metaverse will empower people and change the way we view work by enhancing our ability to collaborate and learn together, but as every new tool people need to be trained on how to make the best out of it and how to integrate it into real life.

HR, Candidates, Managers, Employees … are you all ready to meet your avatars?

Gaia Urati