Working from home is accepted more openly these days, and with modern technology, why not? You can have a conference or video meetings with everyone from your office, while you sit at home in your PJs. However, imagine being able to attend work and meetings, as well as operate in a professional environment from anywhere - and not just by taking your work laptop to a coffee shop or remote location. We are talking about actually entering the work environment you are used to, thanks to a digital representation of reality. It sounds crazy, but it’s entirely possible with technologies like augmented reality and virtual reality.


Why is this technology beneficial?

Even if you work from an office, you can use these technologies to visit and interact with remote locations and remote personnel or partners. For instance, you could have a virtual reality meeting with a potential client who lives halfway around the world - but you’re communicating as though you were together in person in an actual office.


Between 60% to 70% of consumers believe there are clear benefits for using AR and IoT devices in their daily lives, including at work. At work, 69% believe the devices will be beneficial for training programs, while 65% think they can be used to increase safety. A further 64% believe AR can improve interactions through remote engagements and environments.


These ideas offer an alarming yet welcome look at how the physical office will change in the future, maybe even sooner than we expect. Like the mobile has done, these technologies will connect people worldwide and change the ways we all communicate.

Unprecedented office experiences are coming

No one enjoys sitting in a cramped cubicle, but sometimes it is necessary, especially when a business is limited on space. However, less-than-ideal workspaces can often affect performance - and not necessarily in a good way.


Stuck inside dealing with fluorescent, ugly lighting all day? You could jump into a VR office, set outside in the sun, with the wind blowing in your hair. This kind of thing would do wonders not just for productivity, but also for employee satisfaction.


Taking its use one step further, companies and businesses could operate remotely, with employees separated by hundreds or thousands of miles. All workers could check in via a VR or digital platform, interacting with one another as if they were all in the same building or room. This allows for more opportunities in human resources, too. Imagine hiring a professional at the top of their field who had no interest in relocating to your local area.


High Fidelity is one company that’s already at the forefront of the virtual workplace, trying to bridge the gap between a digital fantasy-like working environment and the physical world. Mure VR’s Breakroom is another example of the modern office going digital.

Development and support is crucial

The major concern is development support. A developer or engineer has to craft these experiences first. That means custom or proprietary experiences deployed by modern business will need to have a fully supportive development team.


It’s going to take time to make these virtual experiences and environments possible. The good news, at least, is that many of us are ready - 66% of workers revealed they are open to the concept of using VR or AR tech in their workplace.


Image: vSpatial


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