Founder & Director of Workmetrics, a leader in workforce software. Completed a Doctorate of Information Technology at Murdoch University.
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Virtual reality (VR) has come out as one of the "winners" of 2020 because the shift to working from home has hastened the need for VR’s application in the workplace, most notably for training purposes.
As a result, devices like Oculus Quest 2, HTC Vive and Vive Pro, Valve Index and others are receiving significantly more consideration in terms of engaging employees via a simulated classroom. The VR industry has slowly moved away from being solely focused on gaming, and Oculus even now has a dedicated Oculus for Business product.
Thanks to its immersive nature that brings characters and objects into life, VR training makes it easier to learn more quickly, retain more knowledge and gain a deeper comprehension of the matter at hand. A study by PWC found employees in VR courses can be trained on soft skills up to four times faster than in the classroom and show greater focus and confidence in applying what they're taught.
In that spirit, one of the arguably predominant VR trends of 2021 will be the increased adoption across an organization. With mostly remote-work environments, a wide array of departments — from HR and safety and facility management to customer service and sales — can benefit from VR training in the workplace. What's more, VR can intensify the lessons and comprehension of both novice trainees and experienced workers. Some workplace scenarios are innately dangerous — and training for them can also be dangerous — and so VR headsets and accessories ensure the necessary practice without any inherent risk.
The technology also addresses soft skills in a captivating yet cost-effective way and further experiences can be designed to epitomize the core values of an organization. With scenario-based training, you experience the entire process in a virtual environment and have to choose the right or wrong path to learning.
As a result, the experience is more impactful on the employee and provides the opportunity to absorb and understand on a deeper level. The same PWC study found that VR learners were up to four times more focused during training compared to their e-learning colleagues and 1.5 times more focused than their classroom peers. There are fewer interruptions in a virtual environment, which means any scenario has the potential to fully occupy the employee's vision and attention.
Naturally, the technology itself will improve in terms of capabilities and hardware innovations. In terms of VR training in 2021, it means more realistic and data-driven experiences. For example, 5K and 8K stereoscopic videos will significantly improve resolution quality which matters greatly in VR, creating a more realistic view of the surrounding environment.
Then, there is the eye-tracking technology which determines where a user is looking, which will provide more information on how an employee is behaving in a complex or high-pressure situation where their focus is and what can be approved.
As AI-powered natural language processing improves, we'll witness seamless conversations with trainers and team members but also with the system itself. This will open the doors for unsupervised management of advanced training scenarios, where AI would evaluate employees on a variety of parameters and determine areas of improvement, their fit for future positions and specific roles.
But the proliferation of virtual reality and its augmented cousin brings about a new set of challenges for business leaders to overcome. For starters, VR can be attractive for the wrong reason simply because it is the latest, shiniest tool. Some companies have a low bar when it comes to corporate training and VR could be seen as a way to clear it. Instead, it should be perceived as part of the overall message — not the message itself — meaning that the leadership needs to make sure the solution meets their specific needs.
There are also data concerns, the biggest one being privacy. Generally speaking, collected VR data such as eye movements is a relatively new type of information that isn’t necessarily regulated. The unique nature of immersive technology requires refining privacy policies VR-specific data disclosures. In 2020, only 54% of companies were proactively addressing and updating privacy policies and disclosures, which suggests companies need time to figure out best practices.
Another factor to account for is virtual fatigue. Training in a virtual environment can turn into an uncomfortable and disorientating experience, particularly for newcomers who aren't used to wearing a headset for long sessions. Some side effects such as headaches, eye strain and nausea may occur, which means some employees, especially those with certain disabilities like visual impairments, may not be able to participate.
That said, the future of training and development is unfolding in the virtual world, especially in times when in-person training isn’t and may never be an option for some. Granted, the VR industry has seen its fair share of disappointments, driven by the gap between massive expectations and unfulfilling experiences from clunky headsets to limited systems. The lack of content for training purposes and managing various hardware, software and content aspects such as accessory purchases, content updates and so on poses a tricky feat in situations where VR equipment has to be shared. Furthermore, existing training content is typically designed as standalone experiences with limited possibilities to adjust it across the workforce. VR content is far from the cheapest to produce, which meant the entire market had to make do with what was available.
However, rapid advances in AI, supported by the growing affordability, have given VR a new life in the workplace. The idea is the same as it has ever been: developing more relevant experiences that empower everything from safety procedures and equipment operation to leadership and other soft skills. The level of adoption and integration will ultimately depend on the specific needs, budget and size of the workforce to be trained. These are the key questions business leaders need to answer. With VR's rising popularity, it isn't about "if" or "when" but "how much" virtual reality will be in the workplace.
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