Work-life balance. It’s a topic that has become increasingly important in recent years, as the pressure mounts to achieve dominance in what is often a saturated market.
Of course, work pressures affect people at every level of an organization. However, at the C-Suite level, these responsibilities have a knock-on effect. When executives are overwhelmed, not only do they suffer personally but there is less time to focus on support for employees and more pressure from the top down.
Evidence suggests that the shift from a solely office-based environment to a hybrid or entirely remote work structure has worsened matters, with people spending on average 10% longer logged on. However, the Metaverse could provide a solution.
Decentralized Delegation
In-real-life (IRL) CEOs and other members of the C-Suite are used to delegating tasks to other professionals and outsourcing jobs so that they can focus on more pressing business-critical decisions. In the Metaverse, this outsourcing could intensify, with more delegation, more often, and for more critical tasks.
Virtual Assistant 3.0
The term virtual assistant has morphed since it was first conceived. Initially — and in some circumstances, it continues to be — the term was used to describe an assistant that provided help with everyday admin online. The assistant was real but operated entirely in a virtual setting.
Next, the rise of Alexa and other AI-powered assistants brought virtual assistants to the masses. With that, a change in the understanding of the term. With the onset of the Metaverse, the term will transform once more.
In the Metaverse, the term could straddle both camps, with some virtual assistants completely AI-based and others as real people, behind a virtual assistant avatar. With the Metaverse, an executive can have many assistants delegated to specific tasks and meet them in one designated virtual space to assign the daily or weekly workload.
As with many Metaverse technologies, collaboration will be key. There will be no distinction between AI and human-backed avatars operating as virtual assistants for the first time. This means it will be possible for them to collaborate on tasks to achieve the best possible results. Maybe one assistant is dedicated to travel and other bookings, while another manages the boss’s social schedule.
You only need one AI bot to ensure everything is scheduled and aligned correctly. And this collaborative outsourcing could stretch to other members of the C-Suite. For example, the CFO and COO of a company could combine assistants to support staff in their respective departments.
It’s important to note that the assistants we are referring to won’t take on the role of company employees. Instead, they will support the vast administration required to ensure a business executive can operate seamlessly while ensuring the organization’s success.
Expert Advice
The savviest business executives turn to consultants when they need to make crucial decisions on things they have little experience in. In the Metaverse, a C-Suite could have a consultant panel made up of the best in the business present at the same time in a virtual meeting room.
Regardless of physical or geographic location, CEOs and other business executives could make better business decisions more quickly, and for a fraction of the cost it would take IRL. The Metaverse is all about decentralization, and with that comes choice and, ultimately, convenience. When an executive can make confident decisions faster, the whole business benefits.
Meet the Multi-Self
The Metaverse may even enable an executive to be in two places at once. Imagine choosing between two important meetings — one scheduled in Hong Kong and the other in the US. In the Metaverse, these decisions could become a thing of the past.
As AI and ML accelerate, it’s a strong possibility that we may soon be able to clone ourselves, virtually at least. With a fleet of avatars, all completely knowledgeable on the ins and outs of your business, there’s no reason you couldn’t attend multiple meetings simultaneously.
Of course, this will require a cultural shift, and we’re not quite there yet. However, in some respects, sending an avatar may prove more efficient than attending multiple meetings in a row. They never burn out, can hold an appointment at any time of the day, and never forget a single figure related to your business.
The Result?
The methods we’ve covered in this article are just an example of what’s possible when you move outsourcing to the Metaverse. With more time to focus on their businesses, C-Suite executives can make smarter decisions while also improving the working environment for their employees.
Away from the boardroom, executives also have more free time to spend doing things they love and with the people they love. Overall, the Metaverse opens many opportunities for a better life outside of virtual environments.
