How Colombia’s Banco de Bogotá is pioneering adoption of the metaverse as the epicenter for the training and collaboration.
In a scenario of rapid transformations, finding a common language and an inclusive culture across generations, regions and diverse profiles becomes a crucial challenge for large organizations.
In the context of an institution with the tradition and trajectory of Banco de Bogotá, this richness and diversity not only deserve to be celebrated, but also enhanced.
For this reason, Banco de Bogotá, demonstrating its commitment to innovation, has become a pioneer by adopting the metaverse as the epicenter for the training and collaboration of its teams from the capital to those in the five regions, from young digital natives with those more rooted in tradition.
Banco de Bogotá’s Agile Week was the epicenter of this digital revolution, where the metaverse emerged as the catalyst for a harmonious and productive work and learning environment among the bank’s more than 10,000 employees.
There, technology emerged as the enabler to continue building an inclusive, diverse, innovative, and knowledge-oriented organizational culture. Whether in person or virtually, everyone was invited to contribute their energy and desire to learn and create.
The Metaverse: A Space to Think Outside the Box
The metaverse goes beyond the interaction between people and digital environments – it is a three-dimensional canvas that integrates virtual reality, Augmented Reality and digital connections.
Globally, companies have capitalized on these solutions to create immersive and collaborative experiences. The projected value of the use of the metaverse stands at US$2.5 trillion by 2030, according to Bloomberg Intelligence, evidencing its potential to become a great ally for organizations.
PwC reveals that 51% of companies are already integrating virtual reality into their corporate strategies, or at least, in a specific line of business.
And although in Colombia the first steps in this direction are just being taken, Banco de Bogotá took the lead in integrating the most innovative technology and has adopted a bold strategy by leveraging the metaverse to transform the way its employees interact, learn and participate in the corporate culture.
“At Banco de Bogotá, we recognize the extraordinary value of immersive technologies to enhance training, foster collaboration, and improve efficiency at all levels. By bringing together hybrid, face-to-face, and space in the metaverse, we are managing to reach all of our ‘banbogers’ scattered across offices and branches across the country. This trend allows us not only to transform the way we work, but also to strengthen the connection and retention of learning.
“We are charting a path to the future, where technology drives excellence and inclusion. Our commitment to digital innovation allows us to reach wherever our team is located and offer exceptional customer service,” said Oscar Bernal, Vice President of Technology and Operations, Banco de Bogotá.
Disruptive Environments for Agile Tribes
The commitment to the metaverse materialized during Agile Week 2.0, an internal training event that not only strengthened learning in various areas, but has also become a cornerstone of organizational culture. The 13,000 employees come together in Agile Week under a virtual roof, to learn under the leadership of the talent and culture department in an event that cut across the entire organization.
Hand in hand with the Vice Presidency of Technology and Operations, they created learning and inspiration days in three formats, face-to-face, virtual and through the metaverse. In addition to the internal and external speakers of international stature who joined through the metaverse – there were also face-to-face and virtual exhibitors.
And since training is not a place but a process, everyone had the opportunity to connect via streaming.
Thus, from any corner of the country, from the real or virtual world, the training week had more than 8000 interactions aimed at strengthening people’s skills and knowledge.
There was a space for everyone, according to their tastes, interests and availability.
Generational barriers vanished, the unique experiences, perspectives, and skills of all generations, from baby boomers to Gen Z, intertwined to form a unique collaborative fabric.
The immersive experience in the Metaverse during this event allowed employees to absorb knowledge, connect with current work trends, and discover more about agile tribes.
The ability to interact through an app attracted the attention of “Banbogers” of all ages. Armed with their own avatar, they walked through each space, recognized the avatars of their peers, and started new conversations virtually.
A Continuous Journey of Innovation
Banco de Bogotá’s metaverse, tailored to the brand identity, respects the values and special characteristics built by development teams together with talented people.
Powered by Microsoft technologies, such as Azure Kubernetes Services, Azure Open AI, MySQL Database, Teams Video Conference Room, it allows the building of collaborative spaces and scaling of organizational development.
“The metaverse is a critical tool in our ongoing commitment to Digital Transformation. It facilitates the upskilling and reskilling of our employees, not only equipping them with essential digital skills, but also cultivating a stronger community, fostering collaboration, and unleashing creativity at the core of our corporate culture.
“At our bank, we prioritize bringing knowledge to all employees, and to achieve this, we create immersive and innovative spaces that invite them to adopt different perspectives. Now, with certainty, we know that it is possible to do so, thanks to the tools available here at the bank,” said Bernal.
“This is just the beginning for Banco de Bogota. The doors are open to new possibilities, and success in the metaverse promises a continuous wave of innovations and improvements in the future. This technology is not only cutting-edge, but also a powerful tool to transform corporate culture in significant ways. At Banco de Bogotá, the metaverse isn’t just a digital destination – it is a journey into the future of banking and collaboration,” he said.