An IPA of Professional Communication Practices in Metaverse Workspaces
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Abstract
Immersive virtual environments are rapidly transforming how communication occurs within professional settings, particularly through the integration of metaverse-based workspaces. While prior studies have examined system performance and user efficiency, limited attention has been given to the subjective experiences of professionals communicating through avatar-mediated platforms. The personal meanings and adaptive strategies individuals employ in navigating these immersive spaces remain underexplored—how do professionals construct, manage, and interpret communication within virtual 3D work environments? This study adopts an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore how professionals experience digital embodiment, emotional proximity, and identity negotiation in the metaverse. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with ten professionals aged 28–45 from diverse industries experienced in metaverse-based collaboration, key themes were identified through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), including the negotiation of digital presence, blurred professional boundaries, and the emergence of new communicative rituals. Participants revealed that their communication practices involved complex emotional labor and ethical considerations shaped by the immersive, persistent nature of virtual environments. These findings provide focused insights into how digital professionalism is redefined in virtual workspaces and offer practical implications for designing user-centered metaverse platforms that support emotional and ethical dimensions of professional communication.
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