The metaverse is often described as the next version of the internet — a shared, virtual space that is persistently online and active.

VR is being used more in training and employee retraining, making sure that people are equipped with the skills needed to succeed at their jobs. Using AR and VR training could help in the faster deployment of new employees, leveraging technologies like smart glasses to walk them through a step-by-step tutorial of what is required for effective performance.

Using VR to train employees, particularly those performing tasks involving physical hazards, would provide a safer method for developing skills. Virtual reality is growing in popularity across a variety of HR fields, and training and development could be an especially great application of this technology, as VR could sometimes allow for more realistic training, potentially improving employees’ overall work performance.

Soft Skills Training is an increasingly valued part of employees’ skill sets, and virtual reality could assist in learning associated with these skills. A 2020 PwC study suggests that, on a mass scale, VR could prove significantly more cost-effective than traditional soft skills training options, finding that employees completed VR programs at a rate as much as four times higher than in-person training, and at 1.5 times higher than an e-learning program — largely because immersive experiences made it easier for students to remain focused

The 2020 PwC study also found that employees who completed VR training felt nearly four times as emotionally engaged with the content than those in classroom learning, and over double as engaged as those who took an e-learning program, which exemplifies the enormous impact that VR can have. By using Virtual Reality (VR) to immerse employees in real-world workplace situations, immersive learning can also improve employee engagement, preparation, retention, and confidence.

VR Training is an immersive training experience that recreates a real-life environment and mimics a job task. It provides realistic scenarios within the VR environment, which can be replicated readily in real-world workplaces, making it easy for a new recruit to pick up skills fast. VR Training gives employees a chance to get practical on-the-job training in a low-risk environment, where they can learn through practice. VR training helps organizations train their employees even before equipment is actually installed.

Now, employers are also using VR to help them hire, train, and retain employees through VR simulations. Nine training facilities have begun adopting virtual reality to teach drivers about safety, where VR headsets can mimic the experience of driving in real life, helping protect incoming employees.

Verizon, for instance, provides VR training to help call centre employees develop de-escalation skills and empathy, with the intention to improve the customers’ experience during confidential, business-critical conversations.

Audi is also using 360-degree videos and VR as part of its employee training at dealerships.

The training programs can be used in any number of ways, but the 360 videos are mostly used to help familiarize employees with the locations where the jobs are located, as well as any pertinent information that they must learn in order to do their jobs.

You can leverage the Virtual Classrooms to refresh employees’ existing skills as well as teach them entirely new skills in the following areas. Immersive learning offers a chance to practice multiple times in a virtual environment, allowing users to gain proficiency with the new skills.