Lenovo: Businesses must embrace the metaverse

Many businesses have struggled with hybrid and remote working over the last two years. Those few who have felt that they have been successful in grasping these changes may now have to prepare to see progress slip through their fingers once more.

While the lessons learned over the last two years won't turn to dust in the wind, the rise of the fully virtual workspace and the metaverse is changing the wants and needs of employees.

According to electronics company Lenovo, 44% of employees are willing to work in the metaverse and believe that it can deliver benefits like productivity to the workplace.

Lenovo was keen to see what employees thought of the metaverse and broader technology adoption. As a result, the company teamed up with YouGov and surveyed more than 7,500 working adults across the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, Singapore, China, and Japan during November 2021.

Adapting to the metaverse

Despite a large number of employees being open to a fully digital workspace that enables them to interact with digital representations of people, places, and objects, they also have concerns.

Notably, many employees don't believe their companies can pull off a large-scale digital transformation. The survey found that 43% of respondents believe their employers do not, or probably do not, have the knowledge or expertise to enable them to work in the metaverse of the future.

This skepticism plays a larger role in how employees interact with their organization. In fact, 51% of correspondents agree that an employer’s speed of adoption of new technology is an indicator of readiness for new technological realities.

Given the turmoil that workplaces have seen in recent years, many companies will want to show that they can successfully implement digital transformations and adapt to a changing world. Particularly as problems persist in the present.

59% of staff do not think or are not sure that their employers are currently investing enough in IT to help them maximize their productivity. With burnout and subsequent poor employee retention being an issue felt across the globe, investing in IT is a sure way to show employees you are investing in them and their capabilities.

The metaverse can boost productivity and show staff that you are future-proofing your organization.

In terms of making a shift to the metaverse, working adults in Brazil (53%), Singapore (51%), and China (54%) are split about the ability of their organization to make the change. However, in the United Kingdom (30%) and Japan (18%) employees are much less optimistic.

Ken Wong, president of Lenovo Solutions and Services Group, discussed the findings: “The pandemic challenged us all to adapt to new ways of work – forcing organizations of all sizes to evolve at an exponential pace.

"The metaverse presents businesses with new opportunities but also more complex technological challenges, such as the need for more computing power, better integrated hardware, and simpler and more flexible IT solutions.”"The metaverse presents businesses with new opportunities but also more complex technological challenges, such as the need for more computing power, better integrated hardware, and simpler and more flexible IT solutions.”

Wong added: “Though the metaverse has yet to be ubiquitous, organizations can get a head start with improving productivity at work. They do not have to invest significantly more capital to achieve that. Everything-as-a-service or pay-as-you-go models offer the flexibility, cost efficiency, and scalability to adapt to each company’s unique circumstance.”