As Remote Work Becomes More Prevalent, So Too Will Virtual Reality Training

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, businesses were increasingly moving in the direction of remote workforces. While the pandemic has certainly sped up that timeline, a growing gig economy, pressures to be more sustainable, and attempts to offer more competitive perks in the talent marketplace have driven remote work set-ups to become more popular. However, as this practice becomes more prevalent, training delivery must adapt. As such, virtual reality is increasingly being adopted to help empower remote workforces. As workforces become less centralized, VR offers a way for organizations to provide interactive, collaborative training with higher levels of engagement and better outcomes. Additionally, VR allows for data-capturing abilities unheard of in more traditional training methods. This allows for learner-specific presentations of training and detailed feedback tailored to each trainee. This can help companies better understand their training practices’ return on investment and help them deliver more effective programs. This will in turn lead to improved results. Research by the University of Cambridge’s Cyber-Human Lab shows that VR training can lead to faster task completion compared to standard training methods, which can also increase retention. Studies show workplaces with effective, enjoyable training have significantly lower levels of turnover.