Co-written by Jenny Elig and Heather Leblond
In the three years since the COVID-19 lockdown sent many employees scuttling off into remote workspaces, we’ve learned a lot. A key takeaway is that employee expectations around remote work have shifted. According to Zippia, 81% of workers expect their employers to continue supporting remote working, with 59% reporting that they’d choose an employer who allows remote work over one that doesn’t.
So, we know working remotely is a priority for the workforce. We’ve mostly supported our remote workers’ meeting and learning experiences through online platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, and Microsoft Teams. How long is it before people are just plain tired of heading to online meetings for all their needs?
It’s time to explore, in earnest, an alternative to online video meeting platforms: Virtual Reality (VR). Before you write VR off as too farfetched for your organization, let’s look at what it is.
VR, along with Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR), falls under the umbrella of Extended Reality (XR) — that is, immersive technologies that extend reality.
VR separates itself from AR and MR because VR is fully immersive. Users head to a simulated environment, which allows them to engage with content — and each other — in a unique way.
We generally think of VR as requiring expensive headsets and/or user-knowledge of how to navigate virtual spaces, but immersive learning experiences are very doable with learners who only have a laptop or desktop computer.
VR can be applied to a broad range of topics and training areas, from soft skills development to sales enablement. Want to give learners in the automotive industry a peak at features on a new model that’s rolled off the assembly lines? Bring them together in a virtual space. Want to have those same learners build and practice their conversational skills? You can pair them with an AI-driven character, like Mursion’s VR Training for Soft Skills, to interact in a virtual setting. These experiences don’t require VR headsets, and users don’t need a lot of high-tech or gaming experience.
If this blog is doing what it’s intended to do, you’re 100% ready to make every training and team-building experience virtual. That’s great! But let’s pause.
When you have a strong case for a VR experience, then you need to get team buy-in. VR can be perceived as unnecessary, very costly, or scary. Some people might see it as playing games at work, and others might be worried they won’t ever get the hang of navigating in a virtual space.
To reframe the conversation, come armed with examples of what VR experiences can look like, as well as what organizations have successfully incorporated them. For example, Mursion’s VR Training for Soft Skills has been used by H&R Block and T-Mobile; both companies reported strong results. If cost is the main objection, there are a range of price points to correspond with different budgets.
Then, find a low-stakes way to explore VR technology. For example, you can try out a space like Spatial.io, and create a simple experience to build appetite for VR. You might be surprised at how quickly your team is ready to make the leap into these new, virtual settings.
Once you have your platform, think about the learning experience you want to provide. Creating a VR learning experience should be more than popping your lecture-based learning into a virtual setting; that would be selling the technology short. Consider where your organization needs experiences that allow people to walk around, explore, and practice interacting with others in a role play, etc. Do you have an existing experience that’s due for an overhaul
Our workspaces have rapidly evolved from in-person spaces to online platforms, and now we’re ready for the next step. VR, which affords learning experiences that rival or better in-person ones, seems like a logical next step. To get going in VR, start small. Try VR from the shallow end, keeping the experiences short and sweet, and tied into existing learning. Leverage VR to sustain or practice something you’ve already taught your learners — a way to practice in a safe environment with minimal risk and cost.
Are you ready to dip your toes in the VR space? The learning pros at Ardent are here to help create your strategies.