Virtual reality (VR) certainly made its name through video games and other entertainment outlets. Today, it is disrupting other industries, including the workplace. True enough, our studies predict that VR revenue for the workplace will be worth more than $30 billion by the end of this year. Its uses now include anything from supporting recruitment strategies to fostering collaboration.

Above all else, one of the more prevalent uses of VR is for Training and management. So how are the companies of today maximizing the power of VR for better employee training? Below, we have outlined some of the ways.

Sales Training

Working in retail entails a lot of high-pressure scenarios. Fortunately, VR has proven to be a useful tool in simulating these events. Walmart is an example, as they have started incorporating VR into its training programs. The mega-retailer has its employees go through several scenarios, from managing the chaos of Black Friday sales to handling difficult customers in check-out queues.

Technical Training

Tech companies now employ VR to help their employees understand the ins and out of microtechnology, particularly that of printed circuit boards (PCBs) which are crucial pieces of tech that are used to run hardware. One of the challenges of creating PCBs is due to its small size, and consequentially, the precision needed to place its parts. Fortunately, developers have created VR programs that can provide a zoomed-in, interactive 3D virtual copy of these boards, so that tech trainees can examine them more closely. Moreover, VR can assist by allowing trainees to switch between real-life PCBs and the VR model, thus making the production of certain types of PCBs much easier. Having this guidance via a VR mock-up also saves time, effort, and makes less room for human error when finally creating the real thing.

Remote Training

From increased productivity to happier employees, remote work has a lot of benefits. A major downside to it, however, is how they often miss out on personal company training. This is especially true if your remote employees live in another state or country. Luckily, VR companies have developed the necessary technology to help companies conduct their training online, via VR simulators. VR firm Rumii, for instance, provides its clients with VR “meeting rooms” complete with whiteboards and virtual screens where you can flash content, similar to a projector. This allows companies to be more hands-on with their training even for remote workers.

Safety Training

Lectures and drills will only get you so far. For your employees to truly understand the dangers brought about by emergencies, it helps to experience it “first-hand.” For this, VR is useful. In fact, researchers recently developed an immersive VR system that recreates situations not just with visuals and audio, but with temperature and smells too. When they tested the system, they found that its participants were able to retain more information about the protocols, as compared to those who were briefed with a PowerPoint presentation.

Technology has given us the opportunity to replicate a nearly limitless number of simulations. So no matter what kind of business you run, VR is an affordable and effective way to train your employees.

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