Virtual Realities for Remote Working : Exploring employee's attitudes toward the use of Metaverse for remote working

Sammanfattning: Introduction: Ever since the transition to digital ways of working startedspreading across organizations and industries in the late 1970s, remoteworking has been a topic of interest. With the development of information andcommunications technology, virtual realities are now receiving more attentionwith a broader view of potential application areas. The application of virtualrealities is expanding. Hence, the concept of Metaverse has received a greatdeal of attention. Metaverse is a virtual reality idea where people create avatarsthat exist in a three-dimensional virtual world. While the use of virtual realitiesis expanding on new ways of working, users’ attitudes toward thesetechnological developments are important to consider as it can either increasethe benefits of working from home or highlight the negative aspects evenmore. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the attitudes towards the useof virtual realities for remote working in the case of employees withinorganizations in Sweden. The aim is to further provide an understanding as towhat organizations need to consider following the increased use of virtualrealities. Research Questions: What are the attitudes of employees towards the use ofvirtual realities for remote working? How can organizations adapt to theimplementation of virtual realities for remote working to continuously ensurea positive work environment for its employees?  Methodology: In order to reach the purpose of this study and answer theresearch questions, a qualitative research approach was deemed appropriatefor this study to understand the “what” and “how” aspects of the use of virtualrealities for remote work. Semi-structured interviews were chosen as the datacollection method where the respondents were employees within organizationsin Sweden. Conclusion: The key takeaways are that attitudes toward virtual realities forremote working are complex. The main themes discussed around remoteworking were control and freedom to decide over one’s work and the loss ofcomradery with colleagues and social isolation. New technology, such asMetaverse, has to ensure it continues providing employees with control overtheir work but solves the issues of social isolation while still not eliminatingphysical interactions between colleagues completely. Management has todeeply consider the needs of the individual employee before implementingnew technology, gathering an understanding of what is expected and neededby their specific employees to better ensure successful implementation.