Virtual reality (VR) is expected to be used in 23 million jobs throughout the world for training, meetings, and customer support by 2030. It's time to think about what a VR training program may look like at your company as businesses across the world continue to understand the advantages of VR training solutions.
In our blog article we’ll dive into the main benefits of VR training, its examples and pricing of implementation. So, read on to find out more.
What is VR Training?
Virtual reality (VR) training imitates real-world environments and simulates workplace difficulties. It offers staff members the option to get on-the-job training in a risk-free setting where they may practice what they are learning. Since VR skills are retained well, it is more probable that they will be used in the workplace and eventually boost productivity.
According to a recent PWC research, learners were four times faster at training in virtual reality and had 3.75 times higher emotional connection to the subject. In their survey, learners were four times more engaged and 275% more confident in their ability to put new abilities into practice than their e-learning colleagues.
The ability to simulate risky work conditions makes VR training attractive because it offers a secure environment through which employees can master high-risk skills. Virtual reality training systems have been utilized in industries ranging from healthcare to construction to replicate all possible working situations without compromising safety.
Examples of VR training Solutions
1. Construction
The risky character of the construction industry is well known. Additionally, using VR training simulators, construction workers may modernize their work process and create a risk-free and safe working environment.
Construction companies may simulate risky events, train staff to handle emergencies like fires or difficulties with the construction area, and work in severe storms thanks to 3D imitation and virtual reality technologies.
For example, the Onix team created a virtual reality simulation of a skyscraper building site. Through this VR training, employees may practice their professional skills and increase their understanding of safety while simulating their work on construction sites.
2. Healthcare
The healthcare industry as a whole, as well as clinicians' skill sets, might benefit greatly from virtual reality training. Because VR training is immersive, it perfectly simulates real-world work, enabling healthcare professionals to advance their abilities without taking any risks. For instance, Osso VR's surgical training platform allows medical practitioners to improve their surgical techniques.
3. Soft Skills Training
Regardless of the workplace, developing one's soft skills is important and beneficial in all aspects of life, but it is especially helpful in the professional sphere. The benefit of using VR to develop soft skills is that it can be used in any industry where there is collaborative work.
Allowing staff to use this technology for collaboration or customer service exercises is one method to maximize its use. Applying virtual reality training in the workplace is a cutting-edge and essential option if you want to improve your interpersonal, communication, listening, and time management skills.
Immersive training is most effective when it allows users to practice handling sensitive situations in a virtual environment.
One such instance is the Make Real D&I Perspectives program, which examines four true accounts of workplace microaggressions.
This immersive VR experience leads and transitions learners through numerous office situations using 3D computer graphics, stereoscopic cinema, and the voices of actors.
4. Retail
Employee training in retail has made substantial use of virtual reality. Virtual reality training for organizations in retail specifically cover:
Simulated real-world client interactions are used in customer service training
Management education for enthusiastic onboarding of new employees that reduces possible turnover
Product engagement in a realistic setting is used to enhance product knowledge simulation training.
VR safety training solutions that lower the likelihood of risks occurring in the retail industry
Recreating risk scenarios, such as putting out a shop fire or responding to a robbery, is important.
For example, Walmart introduced a virtual reality (VR) component to the empathy training, which has been successful in achieving the company's adoption goals.
5. Finance
Starting in October 2021, Bank of America began offering virtual reality training platform to all of its employees across the country. 97% of those who have experienced VR, according to BofA, "feel more comfortable executing their duties." On the bright side, a full-fledged deployment of VR in the banking sector may increase contact center training and give a more comprehensive manager onboarding experience. It should come as no surprise that virtual reality (VR) is a very effective and entertaining approach to support employees in training while also sparking interest in their daily tasks.
Key Benefits Of Virtual Reality For Corporate Training
As you can see virtual reality training has numerous benefits to businesses of various industries. Let's review them.
Reducing training time and costs
The training procedure is typically quite expensive. For instance, thorough and effective training of medical professionals or firemen might cost significantly more, compromising the health and potentially even the lives of employees. It constitutes a necessary initial expenditure just for this reason. In comparison with conventional learning, VR also makes it possible to avoid repeating courses and offers experienced instructors with high salaries.
Additionally, VR training solutions can shorten your learners' ramp-up time. According to research, employees who had VR training finished it up to four times quicker than those who received it in a classroom or online. As a result, you will see a good ROI more quickly the earlier an employee can start working.
Safety
One of the biggest advantages of virtual reality is definitely safety. With the help of VR training tools, your students may experience real-world situations without taking any risks. Numerous scenarios provide students the chance to sharpen their skills, learn how to handle risky situations properly, and make mistakes in a secure setting.
Training flexibility
While this cannot always be true about the settings of physical elements, it is simple to add or change situations as well as adjust the environment and objects.
Additionally, you may utilize VR training software almost anywhere and at any time if you have the necessary software, hardware, and power source. With this flexibility, employees who have various schedules may still receive training.
Enhanced staff productivity
Employees may imitate the real world and experience a variety of complicated activities through virtual reality training. Trainees get hands-on training without taking any unnecessary risks thanks to this immersive and realistic experience.
Employees will be able to practice virtually endlessly in VR training simulations, refining their professional abilities to the highest degree while enhancing performance. Related article: Why Edutainment is an Absolute Game-changer in Learning?
Implementing VR Training in the Workplace
To maximize impact and effectiveness, careful consideration needs to be given at all planning, delivery, and assessment phases if you are developing a VR training program for your company's learning and development portfolio. In addition to identifying expertise in training creation and technology innovation, you must have a thorough understanding of the training requirements for your company. When using this new immersive strategy, you must:
- Have clear understanding of what you want to achieve
As with any training program, you must specify your needs. Where are your skill gaps or what's the current situation? Where are you now and where do you want to be? What are the objectives for learning? You may begin creating the content for your training interventions by clearly defining the challenges that require training, the current environment, and the expected skill levels for your team.
- Identify your learning schedule
A virtual environment can be a challenging experience, especially if you're not familiar with the technology. Despite the incredible hardware advancements of recent years, wearing a headset for extended periods of time can be uncomfortable and disorienting.
Keep your online training sessions short and to the point. The easiest way to learn is in bite-sized modules, and each practical lesson should last no longer than 20 minutes. Make sure the employee plans regular breaks to return to the real world if they are working through numerous sessions in one day.
- Choose the right hardware
Hardware is essential for virtual reality training. Make sure your staff have the appropriate hardware in place if you plan to use VR training at your company on a large scale. Simple, right? No, not always! Make sure you're speaking with vendors from the beginning to ensure that a scarcity of hardware won't delay the rollout. Demand for equipment like Valve Index, HTC VIVE, and Oculus Quest may be higher than production.
- Invite all aboard
Not every employee will at first feel confident or at ease using VR. Consider adding easy-to-follow user guides and kit training activities when incorporating immersive technology into your training program. It's a good idea to emphasize the benefits of this cutting-edge training to their personal growth as well as the reason why you're providing it.
To guarantee that training is being completed safely by all staff, make sure you've also conducted the essential risk assessments. For instance, practicing in a suitable physical environment is essential. Keep in mind that when you're in virtual reality, you're blind in the real world – so bumping into other objects is a real possibility!
- Harness the power of data
In the areas of training, the ability to track and assess success in VR training is innovative. Every action made by your employees during the experience, including hand signals, eye movements, conversations, and reactions, may be recorded. For creating and analyzing training experiences, this data is priceless. You may determine what works and, more critically, where modifications are required by introducing testing the software and evaluating the data.
What are the virtual reality training software development costs?
Hardware costs
The need for equipment to access training is the most obvious difference between traditional classroom-based and VR learning solutions. This implies that the initial cost of VR training can be high, especially if it is used on a big scale across more established enterprises. Though, when compared to cost reductions like downtime and travel, VR is quickly emerging as a viable training option thanks to the declining unit cost of devices like HTC VIVE and Oculus Quest.
Software costs
Depending on the level of sophistication required, such as the quality of 3D modeling and the feeling of realism in asset creation, software costs might vary. You may balance quality experiences against your budget by choosing a VR software platform like Future Visual's VISIONxR, which offers both ready-made and custom choices to meet your requirements.
Remember to include annual platform fees as well as user licenses in addition to development costs. You might also need to think about how VR learning platforms work with your current HR systems.Related article: How Much Does it Cost to Develop an Educational App?
Course planning and content development
Any training program should always have learning at its core. Remember that VR training requires budgeted resources for the development of course aims & objectives, structure, learning material, and desired results whether you're employing in-house experts or outsourced course developers. You should also think about the financial costs associated with updating and editing course material on a regular basis to keep it current and applicable.
Conclusion
These examples and benefits show that VR training solutions are not only possible but are succeeding in engineering and business training. You'll see that the majority of these businesses collaborated with a development company to bring their ideas to life.
Don't allow VR's intimidating concept to prevent you from utilizing all of its possibilities. Look for a development partner who can support you through the procedure and realize your training objectives. Your fantastic training possibilities will soon have your staff raving about them.
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Anastasiia Dyshkant
Content Marketing Manager
