Question: How can I create a sense of copresence among my remote team members, and is there a tool that can help?

To help you get a sense of copresence with your remote team members, Microsoft Mesh has a different answer with its mixed reality app. It links people with immersive 3D realms and avatars, a more immersive and interactive experience for PCs and Meta Quest VR headsets. It's geared for distributed teams, with enterprise-grade security and privacy, but also designed to help people feel more connected and less distracted. Microsoft Mesh is built into some Microsoft 365 and Teams business plans, and premium immersive experiences are available as add-ons.

Another strong contender is SoWork, a virtual office platform that's designed to improve communication, productivity and engagement for remote teams. It includes high-quality videoconferencing, AI-powered meeting tools, customizable office environments and integration with tools like Google Calendar and Slack. SoWork is good for creating a sense of presence and connection with features like a mobile app for collaboration on the go and single sign-on for easy authentication. The service also comes with a free tier for up to 10 people, with paid plans starting at $6 per person per month.

Virbela is another contender, with its Frame, a web-based metaverse tool that uses real-world physics and social interactions to build immersive virtual realms for remote work and collaboration. It works with PCs, phones and VR headsets, and campuses can be customized. Virbela is designed to boost productivity and improve diversity and inclusion for remote teams, with a scalable design for large populations.

For a more interactive experience, Ploito has a virtual office platform that tries to re-create real-world offices with video walkie-talkie communication, live avatars and virtual room assignments. It also includes tools to track presence, productivity and work hours so management can keep tabs on what's going on. Ploito prioritizes employee privacy with blurring features and includes tools for task management, screen sharing and burnout prevention to help people maintain a good work-life balance.