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U.S. Business Professionals Want to Get ‘Meta’ About Meetings

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A recent study by Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) reveals that 96% of U.S. professionals value virtual meetings over face-to-face interactions, with 79% favoring the metaverse for work tasks. Additionally, 68% foresee the metaverse integrating into existing work practices, with 58% predicting a shift in businesses towards immersive environments within three years. Concerns about network reliability and costs remain significant barriers. The study surveyed 15,000 professionals across multiple countries, highlighting a strong interest in virtual collaboration tools.

Positive
  • 96% of U.S. business professionals see value in virtual meetings.
  • 79% prefer the metaverse for work tasks over current video conferencing tools.
  • 68% envision the metaverse becoming part of their work practices.
  • 58% believe businesses will adopt immersive platforms in the next three years.
Negative
  • Concerns about unreliable network performance and associated costs hinder adoption.

79% of U.S. workers want to use the metaverse instead of video conferencing tools

HANOVER, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A new study commissioned by Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) has uncovered just how ready business professionals are to collaborate in the virtual world. Ninety-six percent of the U.S. business professionals surveyed recognize the value of virtual versus face-to-face meetings. Yet, it is clear that workers want richer virtual experiences with more than three-quarters (79%) saying they would conduct work meetings and tasks in the metaverse instead of via current video conferencing tools.

Sixty-eight percent of U.S. survey respondents can see the metaverse becoming part of existing work practices, and more than half (58%) think their business will move away from static collaboration environments to more immersive/virtual reality-based platforms in the next three years. Additionally, 88% of U.S. workers would feel comfortable conducting formal, HR-type meetings in a virtual space.

When asked how they would want to be represented in the metaverse, 71% of U.S. respondents would choose an avatar that doesn’t reflect their real-world self. Participants aged 25 to 34 were least likely to authentically represent themselves in digital form, while women were slightly more likely than men (34% vs. 22%) to use an avatar that closely resembled their true self. More than one in five Americans would represent themselves as a pop culture figure or an animal in work meetings, instead of an avatar based on their real-world self.

Despite a growing appetite to utilize more immersive virtual platforms at work, unreliable network performance and associated costs were cited as the top concerns holding organizations back from doing so.

Many businesses have pushed forward their digital innovation plans during the past couple of years, and workers’ confidence in the hybrid work environment is clear amongst respondents. Despite often being touted as a consumer-centric tool, U.S. respondents said they would use enhanced reality or metaverse tools for work (48%) more so than for socializing (46%) or gaming (38%).

“U.S. businesses are clearly ready to move to the metaverse and begin using enhanced reality platforms for work,” commented Steve Alexander, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Ciena. “Whether you’re one of the U.S. pros who would prefer to attend a meeting selecting their avatar to resemble a pop culture icon, or you just want a richer environment to collaborate with colleagues, your network needs to be able to support the workplace of tomorrow, today.”

Alexander added: “There is growing momentum in the U.S. to improve our digital infrastructure and connect everyone across the country so that network performance can’t be seen as a barrier to innovation. Service providers are already hard at work testing and installing upgrades to make networks faster and smarter, so they can handle the low-latency and bandwidth demands of these emerging digital worlds.”

Note to Editors:
The research surveyed a total of 15,000 business professionals, including1,000 professionals within each of the following countries/regions: UK, Germany, Norway, Middle East, Australia, Denmark, Japan, Colombia, India, U.S., Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia and Singapore. The study was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Ciena in June 2022.

About Ciena
Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a networking systems, services and software company. We provide solutions that help our customers create the Adaptive Network™ in response to the constantly changing demands of their end-users. By delivering best-in-class networking technology through high-touch consultative relationships, we build the world’s most agile networks with automation, openness and scale. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.

Note to Ciena Investors
You are encouraged to review the Investors section of our website, where we routinely post press releases, SEC filings, recent news, financial results, and other announcements. From time to time we exclusively post material information to this website along with other disclosure channels that we use. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that are based on our current expectations, forecasts, information and assumptions. These statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results or outcomes may differ materially from those stated or implied, because of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in our most recent annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies and can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Press Contacts:

Jamie Moody

Ciena Corporation

+1 (410) 694-5761

pr@ciena.com

Investor Contacts:

Gregg Lampf

Ciena Corporation

+1 (410) 694-5700

ir@ciena.com

Source: Ciena Corporation

FAQ

What does the recent Ciena study reveal about U.S. workers' preferences for meetings?

The study shows that 96% of U.S. professionals prefer virtual meetings, with 79% favoring the metaverse over traditional video conferencing.

How many professionals were surveyed in Ciena's study?

The study surveyed a total of 15,000 business professionals from various countries.

What barriers to metaverse adoption did Ciena identify?

Unreliable network performance and high costs were cited as the primary concerns preventing organizations from adopting metaverse platforms.

What percentage of U.S. workers are comfortable with HR meetings in the metaverse?

88% of U.S. workers expressed they would feel comfortable conducting formal HR meetings in a virtual space.

When was the Ciena survey conducted?

The survey was conducted in June 2022.

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