Virtual Reality, once just a gaming phenomenon, has entered the workforce and with technology rapidly advancing, companies are now viewing VR as an effective training, onboarding, and upskilling tool. VR training can be useful across any industry, and many like the health care, construction, retail, or manufacturing industries, have already seen success and use cases.
Virtual Reality is a technology that creates a computer-generated world in which the user can interact with it and view it in a way that feels real. VR Training is typically done by wearing a headset that tracks head and body movements and has the ability to deliver immersive, efficient, and scalable learning experiences.
Companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Hilton have successfully implemented VR into their training programs and are seeing the benefits of substantial cost savings and enhanced productivity. Traditional training may require paying for travel costs, training materials, and the trainer's or other employees’ time, which can all add up quickly. In addition, removing other staff from their typical tasks or duties so they can train new employees can cause potential business interruptions and affect production.
VR Training can help by creating real-world scenarios in a controlled and safe, hands-on environment. Studies have shown that VR training in the workplace can lead to a 275% increase in employee confidence, as well as improved task speed and accuracy. Employee confidence comes from an improved hiring and onboarding process that leaves employees feeling better prepared and equipped. For example, employees can take a virtual reality tour of the facility before their first day to help them feel more comfortable. Corporate employees could utilize virtual reality to experience what the workers on their production floor go through in order to better support them. Overall, it increases the sense of belonging among employees.
Virtual Reality training also accelerates the learning process and allows employees to receive real-time feedback. PwC did a study that showed VR training can be up to four times faster than traditional training methods at getting employees trained to proficiency on their job tasks. It is also very scalable; you can implement trainings across multiple facilities and locations for many employees at a time. With VR training you ensure consistency and uniformity and that every employee who takes the same training is learning the same thing. You are also able to enhance collaboration and teamwork when employees can train together in the VR simulations. The mode of training has been shown to increase employee retention not only due to improved onboarding but also because the training is interactive and engaging.
Additionally, VR training has really changed the game in terms of safety training and emergency response plans. Implementation of this method can result in fewer costly safety incidents and allow employees to practice and learn in a risk-free environment. Police departments and utility companies utilize VR training to simulate high-stress situations or complex electrical issues. Another way they enhance workplace safety is by deploying VR training ahead of time on new technologies, machines or procedures to prepare employees before their actual rollout. This helps ensure they know how to manage the changes safely and that they can adapt more quickly.
Lastly, VR training programs can collect data and provide metrics and predictive analytics, meaning you can track employee progress and adjust training content based on their performance. This allows for more customizable and personalized training programs that meet each employee’s developmental needs.
Although we only discussed the benefits of Virtual Reality in training, there are other areas it can be utilized within an organization. VR headsets can be used to increase collaboration for brainstorming sessions, to conduct team-building exercises, for social games, recognition ceremonies, and overall, are another tool for employees to connect and interact. The more ways you can utilize VR within your organization, the greater ROI you will see.
Sources:
https://www.shrm.org/labs/resources/companies-making-vr-ar-job-training-central-to-strategy
https://www.hrfuture.net/strategy-operations/hr-tech-digital-transformation/virtual-reality-and-hr-a-new-frontier-for-training-and-development/
https://www.strivr.com/blog/8-vr-training-benefits#:~:text=At%20a%20high%20level%2C%20VR,in%20the%20way%20of%20business.
https://medium.com/@riverstonetrainingsg/how-augmented-reality-is-transforming-employee-training-programs-7a7510d76dbe
https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2023/05/11/revolutionizing-employee-training-six-benefits-of-virtual-and-augmented-reality-in-the-workplace/