Virtual Reality Business Training and its Benefits

For many people, hands-on learning is one of the best ways to acquire new skills. When new employees get hands-on experience with the job they will be doing, they can learn faster, and they can also get an idea of some of the most common mistakes people make and how to fix them. Meanwhile, their trainers can watch what they’re doing and give feedback to help them learn the most effective way to complete tasks. 

However, it’s not always practical to let an employee dive right in and work with real materials, files, or patients. In these situations, it’s becoming more and more common to use virtual reality for business training. As the cost of VR technology continues to fall, more and more companies are implementing virtual training as part of their onboarding procedures.

Industries That Use Virtual Reality for Training

The use of VR in business training actually isn’t new: It’s become a staple in a few fields already. Soldiers, surgeons, and astronauts have used VR training exercises for decades to help them learn and practice procedures that would be too dangerous or impractical to repeat over and over again in real life. As the use of virtual training expands, it’s being adopted by a number of industries, including:

• Retail
• Health care
• Construction
• Hospitality
• Aerospace

Skills That Can Be Learned and Practiced in VR

Virtual training environments can help employees to acquire a wide range of skills:

Customer service staff can practice sales techniques and procedures for addressing customer complaints.

Surgeons can learn how to use new types of equipment and new surgical techniques without putting real patients at risk.

First responders and business managers can learn about crisis communication and de-escalation and practice handling different types of emergencies that may arise.

Soldiers can build situational awareness and learn how to navigate dangerous environments and execute tactical plans.

Professional drivers and pilots can practice these skills without endangering others.

Virtual reality business training can save time and money, and in some cases, it can even save lives. It’s no wonder that more companies are turning to VR training to help employees improve their skills.