Metaverse Workers are Worried About Being Monitored by Bosses

Metaverse workers aren’t as enthusiastic as bosses when it comes to working in the Metaverse.

Metaverse games are one of the most exciting things about the future of entertainment. However, working in the Metaverse might not be so fun, if the results of a new poll are anything to go by.

Metaverse workers: Will it be the norm?

Working from home has its plusses. You don’t have to get out of your pajamas or take off your fluffy koala slippers. You don’t have to put up with Alex from accounts sitting on your desk, telling you long boring stories about whatever dull thing they did with their life on the weekend.

A great part of remote working is that you can work wherever your computer is. So you can sit in that café and look at the sea while tap away. Phew.

There is also something else supercool about remote working. The idea of working in the metaverse. While it might take you a while to work out how to sit down on virtual chairs, or get the right virtual outfight for the sales meeting, it is a fun thought. Hanging out with co-workers online in the virtual office with the waterfall and the zen garden can only be a good thing.

Yet, for all the cool things offered by a metaverse workplace, it may come with negative things for employees.

ExpressVPN commissioned a study, in collaboration with Pollfish. They surveyed 1,500 employees and 1,500 employers about working in the Metaverse.

Technological advancements have increased productivity

As remote working has taken off, both workers (90%) and employers (88%) agree that tech advancements have led to an increase in productivity. And, they feel more connected to their co-workers. Employees say video conferencing (27%) makes them feel most connected and engaged.

Employers also say video conferencing (32%) is the best method. But employers also like the idea of working in the Metaverse (17%) as the best way to stay connected. Only 9% of employees feel the same about the Metaverse.

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Overall, employers are more excited and curious about the metaverse than employees. Employers say they are excited (66%) and optimistic (54%) about working in the Metaverse. But, employees say it brings on anxiety (24%), suspicion (20%), and they feel like it will be confusing (17%).

A big worry here is that the Metaverse creates opportunities for workplace surveillance. The report’s authors say, “employee monitoring software has become a popular way for employers to keep an eye on their employees, and the metaverse will only increase the potential for surveillance activities. When looking at existing surveillance tactics, 73% of employers admit to currently surveilling their employees.”

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Metaverse workers and anxieties

In relation to workplace surveillance, employees say they worry about three things. They are concerned about the tracking of their real-time location (51%). They worry about real-time screen monitoring (50%). And they are anxious about time tracking (47%).

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Employees aren’t wrong to feel this way. Employers want to record workplace meetings (42%), undertake time tracking (39%), they do want to track real-time location (39%), and monitor screens (39%).

Harold Li is the Vice President of ExpressVPN. “Given the reluctance of many workers to accept further surveillance in the workplace, employers should tread carefully when planning to implement further monitoring activities in virtual workspaces and consider whether they’re worth the potential loss of trust and satisfaction among their employees.”

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