How To Make Virtual Reality A Reality In The Workplace
As workforces across the globe continue to evolve and adopt new ways of working, virtual reality (VR) has become a simple solution to complex organisational safety challenges. When it comes to finding the right tools for your business, it is not a one size fits all approach – and the same is true for VR.
Many leading companies are employing immersive learning technologies to train and upskill their staff in line with a shift towards more effective workplace training. Whether this be for diversity and inclusion training or learning how to safely operate a forklift, every industry can glean from the benefits of VR.
What modules are on the market?
Next World Enterprises offer a variety of modules catering to a diverse range of operations including hazard identification, working at heights, office hazards, fire extinguisher skills, working around forklifts, forklift inspection, manual handling, confined spaces, fire hazards, and more. Depending on the size of your company and the internal pain points, you may also choose to pursue the development of bespoke modules tailored to your specific needs.
Next World’s Learning Experience Library
VR is being used more and more to nurture soft and hard skills, equipping team members with the confidence to effectively lead teams, project manage and navigate high pressure scenarios, particularly for organisations in the high-risk setting. With the ability to superimpose dangerous work instances and crisis situations, immersive learning training instils a greater sense of situational awareness and promotes proactive decision making.
Komatsu Australia,
Real Time Client Snapshot
Global manufacturer and distributor of earthmoving and mining equipment, Komatsu Australia, recently called upon Next World as the conglomerate celebrated 100-years and promised to create value where people and business thrive together.
Looking to the next 100 years, Komatsu turned to Next World’s innovative virtual reality technology to train and upskill their RTOs in line with the global movement towards more effective technology, as they drive towards their goal of zero harm.
Originally established in 1921 in Komatsu City, Japan, to sustain the surrounding community after the closure of a nearby copper mine, Komatsu has spent the past century dedicated to its founding principles of quality first, technology and manufacturing innovation, global reach and people development.
Commissioning Next World to deliver virtual reality training platforms and headsets to help induct new apprentices, Komatsu turned to Next World’s innovative technology to support training delivery – allowing high-risk industry workers to experience a situation and learn about the potential dangers, before returning home safely to their family.
Komatsu apprentices in VR Training
What are the benefits?
Research tells us that people’s attention spans are shrinking. In a world of information overload, the need for meaningful, highly relevant, and engaging content is essential to effectively enhance learning outcomes.
As expectations around the delivery of information and content quality continue to elevate, traditional and outdated styles of learning, such as standalone old-school quizzes and PowerPoints, are yielding lower knowledge-retention and failing to safeguard employees in high-risk industries.
This is where the VR advantage comes into play, offering an innovative method to hold the attention of employees with engaging training that makes a mark and supports staff regardless of their geographic location. Moreso, the data provided to employers allows for highly strategic decision making by defining areas where greater mentorship, guidance and skill is needed. These insights can significantly reduce a company’s risk profile.
The bottom line
Despite the initial outlay, VR training programs have an extremely high return on investment. There are innumerable benefits to be experienced at all levels of business.
- Workers’ compensation: Increased learning outcomes enhance safety awareness which ultimately reduces the number of accidents. In turn, this significantly impacts savings by reducing and preventing harm.
- Employee attraction and retention: VR is the sign of an innovative business, a value which attracts forward thinking talent. In addition, the reduced onboarding costs and strengthened retention prospects are a huge plus.
- Employee productivity: It is proven that VR increases productivity by at least 20 per cent, particularly due to the reduction of re-work costs.
- Brand value: A company’s brand image is a crucial component to hooking new clients. By placing innovation and technology at the forefront, VR can help a business stand ahead of competitors.
- L&D Efficiency and Effect: With a 60% increase in productivity, 45% reduction in logistics costs and 20% improvement in assessment scores – VR lowers hidden costs and increases overall profitability across the business.
Overall, for a business of 1,000 employees, it is estimated that Next World’s VR training can see a yearly ROI of $697,620. Compounding this ROI over time can set a business up to move from strength to strength.
Click here for more information on ROI and Next World Enterprises’ pricing options.
