Inclusion ensures that individuals from diverse backgrounds feel respected, valued, and empowered, which is crucial for organizational success. It shapes employees' emotional experiences, interpersonal dynamics, and overall well-being. However, fostering inclusion requires deliberate effort, and when not done effectively, it can backfire. As technology increasingly transforms organizations, its role in promoting inclusion becomes more important. Although often associated with negative outcomes, technology can, when used thoughtfully, significantly enhance inclusion.

The emergence of immersive online workspaces and virtual reality (VR), collectively known as the "Metaverse," presents organizations with a unique opportunity to transform employee interaction and collaboration. By using avatars in 3D environments, organizations can design and enhance employee belonging, interpersonal connections, and productivity. Many companies are now rethinking traditional workspaces, moving away from the idea that collaboration must happen in physical offices. The Metaverse offers new possibilities for workplace design, communication, and organization.

The Metaverse also presents an opportunity to engage the world’s largest underemployed community—people with disabilities (PWD). Our research examines the experiences of PWD using inclusive avatars that represent both visible (e.g., mobility aids) and invisible (e.g., mental health conditions) disabilities. We developed a variety of inclusive avatars and asked participants to use them in social interactions within VRChat. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining experience sampling and qualitative interviews, we explore how social interactions in the Metaverse affect PWD’s emotions and perceptions of inclusion. Our findings indicate that inclusive avatars foster both positive and negative social interactions, which impact PWD’s engagement and sense of inclusion. Although transitioning to inclusive avatars can present challenges, the benefits often outweigh the costs. Emotions play a crucial role in mediating the relationship between social interactions and avatar connection. PWD who strongly identify with their disability experience less emotional impact from exclusion.

These findings contribute to advancing both academic research and organizational understanding as we strive toward a more responsible, inclusive, and human-centered Metaverse.

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