The Future of Hybrid and Virtual Workspaces

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For the past 2 years organizations struggled with pandemic restrictions because of the social distancing requirement imposed in office spaces. That led to the innovation of virtual and hybrid workspaces. The main question is, are we ready to replace the physical office with the virtual office?

On today’s podcast episode we interview Arkadiy Baltser, Founder and CEO of Plutoview, an organization that is pushing barriers, allowing team members to use cutting edge technology to work collaboratively anytime and anywhere.Today’s topics are locked-in on the future of virtual and hybrid workspaces and the exciting super-technology that is going to allow organizations to Team Anywhere.

Compelling Reasons to Shift to a Remote Workspace

According to Arkadiy, there are two compelling reasons to shift to a completely remote workplace:

Physical Space Limitations – A regular office space can fit team members and the equipment necessary for the organization’s operations. However, when an organization becomes global, it becomes more difficult to accommodate higher-level technology and needs. A virtual workspace can satisfy international demands.
The Feeling of Inclusion- Team members from around the world, especially contractors, will feel that they are an integral part of an organization if they can work and have meetings in a virtual workspace.

The Digital Divide – How it affects Organizations Globally

According to Arkadiy, not every organization has the same privileges as seen in 1st world countries. There are two reasons why a digital divide exists among organizations.

Hardware and Software Limitations – If you are a person who has access to at least 3 devices, you are considered lucky. Not all people and locations have access to leading-edge hardware and software. Companies that have less financial capability often struggle to keep up with ever evolving technology.
Internet Access – Not every organization in the world has access to the internet, especially in remote areas. According to Arkadiy, Elon Musk is slowly solving this issue by sending a lot of satellites into orbit. Once internet access can be provided globally, more organizations will be able to take advantage of the technology used by many successful organizations.

Google and Plutoview, a Comparison

Arkadiy compares Plutoview to Google Stadia. It is where complex games are hosted into a cloud and people are able to play those games without the need to buy an expensive gaming console or PC. Plutoview aims to alleviate people from the need to buy powerful equipment to run various software. Pluto also develops a suite of virtualized open-source software for different fields and professions. Google Chrome, Firefox, Chromium, Visual Studio Code and Audacity are just a few examples.

Into the Microverse – Hybrid and Virtual Workspaces

According to Arkadiy, he likes the microverse more than the metaverse. He said that the metaverse for now is a barren wasteland where everybody does nothing. He compares the microverse to a small game wherein you can be with your friends and get stuff done. It is not a replacement of the physical office but rather an extension of reality. It gives team members superpowers to effectively communicate with people, access a vast database, see what other team members are working on, and finish tasks with speed and accuracy.

The conversion from the physical working space to a fully remote workspace takes time. It will not happen overnight. Arkadiy projects virtual workspaces to exist in the next 5 years, but for now hybrid workspaces can align more with an organization.

Who is Arkadiy Baltser?

Arkadiy Baltser is the Founder and CEO of Plutoview, a tech tool that allows collaboration between remote teams feel effortless. Users can create deep co-browsing spaces and work together like never before, all on the Web.

In 2021, they hosted over 200,000 collaborative hours and raised over $380K to fund their transition from a workspace solution catering to remote teams to an API integration provider catering to other workspaces.

Arkadiy is not new to startups. He was also the founder and CEO of Newshunch, an interactive news service platform that allowed users to predict the progress and outcomes of tech, startup, and business news.