In the wake of the pandemic and the subsequent remote work trend, the case for extended reality(XR)-fuelled staff training among enterprises is strong. Yet the value that such training can bring to companies’ offices is also becoming increasingly rich.
The technology powering XR-based employee training is evolving rapidly, with new hardware and software capabilities enhancing tried-and-true methods, while bringing about new, powerful use cases. This means that virtual training can be more varied and more flexible than real-world sessions.
XR, as the name suggests, is an umbrella term that refers to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR). As an overarching technology model, XR can bring enormous value to corporate training.
That is perhaps why more than half (53%) of business respondents surveyed by Gartner identified XR’s ability to improve the scope of employee training as a top opportunity for the technology within the enterprise.
Extending the virtual workplace
The benefits of XR technology for companies wanting to train employees who are working remotely are immediately clear. However, the technology is also being increasingly used to train staff members in corporate office environments in new, innovative and highly effective ways.
One example of this is French international banking group Crédit Agricole IDF (CADIF), which revolutionised its staff training with immersive VR-based technology after realising that face-to-face and traditional e-learning methodology was often perceived as too theoretical. It also had low absorption of information and commitment from staff members.
Partnering with HTC VIVE, CADIF crafted a bespoke VR training platform and content library which, when used with immersive VR headsets, transformed the staff development of its 72,000 global employees. Through a range of custom-built virtual training scenarios, employees are transported out of the classroom and into realistic environments that mimic the real-world.
The company’s in-house VR platform features more than 20 custom scenarios designed to engage employees across its 8,200-plus branches worldwide, with each virtual interaction providing an opportunity to hone skills, practice delicate financial conversations and navigate complex scenarios within the simulated walls of a bank branch. This approach has enhanced customer experience across the bank’s global branches, efficiently and effectively.
Securing soft skills virtually
Another example of VR technology put into the service of improving skills in the workplace is Bodyswaps, a London-based software company, which specialises in simulation software that empowers users to hone their soft skills, such as communication, management or emotional intelligence, by practising with virtual humans.
Bodyswaps’ software is based on the realisation that soft skills are difficult to teach in the classroom. By pairing Bodyswaps’ unique offering with VR headset technology, users can be immersed in realistic but safe scenarios in which they can practice their soft skills without fear of judgement or repercussions.
Given that soft skills are so often essential when it comes to customer- or client-facing interactions, the value of Bodyswaps’ technology cannot be overstated. With artificial intelligence (AI) technology used to personalise the learning experience and give actionable feedback to employees, companies can raise the overall level of their team members’ soft skills.
One organisation that has utilised the Bodyswaps solution is Welsh educational institution Coleg y Cymoedd which, in combination with a VR hardware ecosystem to deliver the immersive experiences needed for an effective learning environment, has helped students hone soft skills such as public speaking and bolster their confidence when it’s time to enter the workforce.
Transporting staff virtually
Just as important as the value that immersive experiences can bring to corporate training programs is the cost that they can save. Alstom, a global leader in sustainability mobility, has reduced training costs with a VR technology-driven program, increasing return on investment (ROI) for its training infrastructure while improving employee retention and outcomes.
The French multinational uses VR technology to create immersive learning environments that closely mirror real-world experiences. With more than 80,000 employees globally, the use of VR-based training methodologies can deliver large scale benefits to the company and its staff members alike.
Partnering with Uptale, an immersive learning platform that creates rich interactive VR experiences from simple 360-degree captures, and HTC VIVE, Astom has pioneered a scalable and impactful VR solution for corporate training that frees up team leaders’ time while reducing employees’ exposure to risks, leading to a healthy ROI for each production site featuring the solution.
Australia is widely regarded as an early adopter of technology, and the potential number of use cases for VR-powered corporate training in the local market are huge. The XR technology needed to underpin industry-leading immersive experiences for dynamic and collaborative learning models is here, and with some creative thinking it can lead to powerful training in the office, just as it can at home.
