In many ways, VR has had a bit of a bumpy ride in its journey to becoming accepted by the business world. However, 2025 looks like it could be its most important year yet.
There are numerous reasons for this, and why VR is seeing an increase in use across the board. First, VR tech is becoming more affordable, people are becoming more used to the idea of it, and most importantly, businesses are beginning to see the benefits of implementing it into their training processes.
Over the last few years, companies like Volkswagen, JetBlue and FedEx have adopted VR into their training processes.
Logistics
VR has the ability to negate some typical challenges that come with conducting effective training. Traditional training sessions often require a lot of planning and coordination, which can take up a lot of time, money and resources.
For example, things like securing a venue away from your office and gathering staff in the ‘same place’ both take time and resources. By implementing VR into this scenario, you can eliminate the need for elaborate setups, as the training can be conducted through a VR headset.
This cuts out the logistical nightmare of sourcing physical venues and travelling there, while saving time and resources.
Travel
We briefly mentioned how VR is able to gather everyone in the ‘same place’, but there are more benefits that come with this.
According to ABS surveys conducted in April 2022, nearly half (46%) of all Australian employees now work from home to some degree. This means training sessions are usually held via video chats or companies may pay for staff to travel to a dedicated training facility.
This can quickly become expensive when considering transportation and accommodation, not to mention that not all training sessions can be performed online.
Embracing VR mitigates these costs by enabling staff to engage in immersive training experiences from the comfort of their own locations. This reduction in travel-related expenditures not only contributes to cost savings but is also much more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Staff from pretty much any location (even continent) can come together in a shared virtual space to train, learn and collaborate without the need for extensive travel arrangements.
Zero risk
One of the biggest hurdles that comes with training security is navigating and addressing safety concerns. With VR simulations, that hurdle is well and truly cleared.
VR training sessions allow staff to navigate complex and even dangerous training scenarios with zero risks. Regardless of the industry, be it handling heavy machinery in a mining environment or running an office fire training scenario, VR can simulate otherwise hazardous environments and situations that would otherwise be dangerous to staff.
That’s not to mention the costs that are mitigated through VR training. There would be no logic in allowing untrained staff to operate complex machinery or dangerous scenarios without extensive training beforehand. Machinery could become damaged in the process, and the safety of the user would be put at risk.
Investing in VR technology would allow you to bypass the typical costs and risks that come with traditional training methods.
Learning through repetition
People learn best through the act of physically doing something. Through VR, employees are given the closest thing to a real-world training session, without actually partaking in the real-world act. In essence, VR doesn’t just give you information, it gives you an experience and employees appreciate this.
A study from PwC found that employees felt 245% more confident when applying the skills they learned from VR training, which is 79% more confident than after classroom training.
Providing virtual environments allows staff to practise and repeat tasks until they’re confident and happy with the final outcome. The phrase, ‘practice makes perfect’ comes to mind here, but it’s true! And VR training offers a fantastic training platform for staff to confidently perform tasks without any major consequences.
Plus, VR is still a relatively new training option and comes with some fun, interactive experiences. Traditional training methods in a classroom can become, well, repetitive because everyone knows the process at this point. With VR, repeating tasks becomes less laborious because the technology is new, immersive and exciting, meaning staff should feel engaged and focused for longer.
Visual learning
Immersion is arguably the most fascinating aspect of VR training.
Being able to create immersive and life-like simulations of real-world scenarios, environments and procedures offers a far more detailed and tangible learning experience.
Traditional learning methods are often hindered by a lack of budget or the inability to secure certain resources for effective training. With VR, however, everything can be digitally recreated to replicate a genuinely life-life visual learning experience.
Take a medical setting, for example. Trainee doctors and surgeons could learn more about the human anatomy with access to 3D anatomical images and models.
Some VR technology has integrated haptic feedback to allow surgeons to practise surgical procedures. VR uses realistic vibration patterns and haptic technology to mimic the feeling of holding real-world surgical tools, like scalpels, scissors and retractors.
As opposed to reading manuals and guidebooks on how to perform certain tasks, visual learning through VR allows staff to get hands-on experience instantly.
Analytics
Another great advantage of incorporating VR into training is the amount of useful data generated during each session. From user interactions to performance metrics, VR platforms provide comprehensive analytics to gauge the effectiveness of their training content.
The issue with traditional training is that it often struggles to provide detailed insights into participant engagement and comprehension. VR analytics, on the other hand, offer real-time tracking of trainee progress.
Businesses can monitor interactions, assess skill development, and identify areas that may require additional focus. This level of detail enables a customised approach to training, ensuring that each participant’s unique needs are addressed.
Remote learning
Most companies have embraced a permanent hybrid working solution, and this concept will likely stay for 2025. This means that demand for remote learning is going to increase, and with VR revenue projected to hit $252 billion by 2028, more businesses will likely begin investing in this tech.
Whether team members are working from home, in different branches, or even in different countries, remote learning via VR mitigates the distance issue. Remote workers will share (almost) the same experience as staff who are physically there, allowing for a more collaborative and immersive training experience.
Conclusion
VR has the potential to completely change the way businesses create and conduct training sessions in 2025. The impact of VR’s integration into modern businesses can provide safer, more immersive and cost-effective training solutions.
These benefits are too good for businesses to ignore, and with the demand for VR tech increasing year-on-year, 2024 will likely be a defining year for VR.
Take a look at our Virtual Reality Projects here.
Summary:How VR is Transforming Workforce Development
VR training provides hands-on, risk-free environments for better decision-making
Research shows VR improves learning speed and emotional connection
Reduces travel, venue, and material costs after setup
Ideal for high-risk industries like healthcare, construction, and manufacturing
Ensures quality across locations, supporting remote and hybrid teams
Now affordable for businesses of all sizes
Is VR training cost effective?
When it comes to training and education, virtual reality (VR) can be a cost-effective alternative to traditional classroom lectures. VR lets students experience a real-life scenario in a safe environment that’s not only more engaging but also more cost-efficient.
Is VR training good?
Virtual reality (VR) training is a great way to train employees. It can be used for training employees on how to use a specific piece of equipment or software, as well as teaching them how to perform their jobs in the real world. It’s also useful for educating employees on how to handle a new situation or scenario.
How virtual reality is used in training?
Virtual reality is used in training to simulate real-world situations. It can be used to train a variety of skills, from operating heavy machinery to flying an aeroplane. This is accomplished by using a headset that has built-in headphones, which allow the user to hear what’s going on around them. The headset also blocks out all other sounds.
How do you start virtual reality training?
The first step in virtual reality training is to decide what kind of experience you want to provide your employees with. Do you want them to have an immersive experience with 3D visuals? Do you want them to feel like they’re there? Or do you just want them to learn how different tools work?
What is virtual reality training?
Virtual reality (VR) training is a way to train employees using computer-generated environments that mimic real-world situations. These environments can be created with video game engines or 3D modelling software, and they can be used to simulate any number of scenarios.
