Trend #1. The metaverse will become increasingly relevant
While there is no formal definition of the metaverse, it can be thought of as a virtual world where people interact through avatars that are consistent across platforms, enabling users to work, play, shop, and socialize online with the same virtual identity. For internal communications, the metaverse opens up new – and much more interactive – opportunities for engaging with employees. Colleagues will be able to meet in virtual worlds that cut across time and space to brainstorm, ideate, share complex designs, and learn new skills.
The metaverse takes the concept of internal communications even further away from the top-down, management-centric approach that prevailed in the early days. It also paves the way to the use of immersive media such as virtual and augmented reality. These technologies bring the power of imagination and emotion into how users interact with content, which is ideal for collaboration and team-building. Teams thrive on understanding each other, trusting each other, and exchanging ideas – the kind of cohesion that can be built up virtually.
Another way in which companies will leverage the potential of the metaverse is through storytelling and visualization. Managers will be able to paint a picture of how they see the company beyond the next market disruption or pivot, for instance, and what the new working environment will look like. Strategies and scenarios can be translated into visible virtual worlds, making them tangible for everyone.
As the metaverse develops, employees and teams will be increasingly empowered to share information and collaborate in a way that makes the most sense for their particular business unit. Of course, this will need to be done within the framework of an integrated communications strategy, in order to prevent dispersion and keep employees’ efforts aligned with the company’s mission and overall goals.
The metaverse is still in its infancy, but the possibilities for enhancing 360° internal communications are clear. In the meantime, organizations will need to be flexible and agile, and perhaps go through some trial and error, as they introduce these new virtual ways of working.
