Step into the Metaverse

Chapter 6Exponential Enterprise Connectivity

A Changing World

While the pandemic brought fear, anger, despair, and grief to the world, it also drastically changed how we work. As soon as lockdowns happened worldwide, entire industries switched to remote collaboration practically overnight and, to the surprise of many, without too much trouble, keeping the global economy afloat after the initial shock was over.

For many, working from home became the new normal. Meetings and events moved from the physical world into the digital world. Suddenly, employees had to be onboarded via Zoom or Teams, investments had to be made without ever seeing founders in person, and annual general meetings had to be moved to the digital realm. While for many Millennials and Baby Boomers, this was a brand new experience, connecting virtually had been common practice for Gen Z and Gen Alpha. For years, these generations have grown up in the digital world; they have been socializing, interacting, trading, playing, partying, flirting, working, experimenting, presenting, and collaborating in closed virtual worlds such as Roblox, Minecraft, or Fortnite. In the coming years, these generations are hitting the workforce, especially Gen Z, and they are expecting a different way of working; they will not accept a 9 to 5 job in a cubicle.

In May 2021, amidst the pandemic, Anthony Klotz coined the term The Great Resignation.¹⁹⁵ Based on his research, the associate professor of Management at Texas A&M University ...