Designing Digitally
07/30/2018
Immersive employee training is the use of augmented and virtual reality to enhance the training experience by bringing content into life. It is a new form of training that is slowly gaining popularity in many industries because it saves time and money. Most companies are employing these immersive and interactive experiences to increase employee knowledge and retention of the training information. Immersive training gives learners access to training materials and other content that is better than printed images. One of the major benefits of immersive training is that it can be updated at any time, saving on time and resources of printing training material. In addition, virtual reality (VR) is increasingly developing and becoming more accessible while less expensive. Immersive learning reduces cost and alleviates risks, allowing employees to simulate tasks that could have otherwise been expensive. A few years ago, immersive learning technologies were mainly used by government, military and big corporations. Today, however, the technologies are employed even in small businesses. The realistic content and experience provided by immersive training enable trainees to build practical skills while acquiring a better understanding of their fields at the same time. Below are some benefits associated with immersive training.
Research has shown that businesses use significant resources in employee training and development. Traditionally, companies use real-time training programs that require a lot of time of money. However, immersive training programs eliminate expenses such as training materials. A 2014 report by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) indicates that a company with hundred employees spends approximately a thousand dollars per employee in training. Another study by the Society for Human Research Management point out that there are also other hidden costs during conventional training.
Employees have different learning speeds and perceptions. Imperative and interactive training programs enable trainees to grasps concepts and materials at their convenient styles and speeds. Advanced technologies are providing real-time recommendations based on the simulation results. For instance, the VR training immerses trainees in realistic environments where they can make and find solutions for their mistakes at the same time. This helps employees avoid making mistakes in the actual working environment.
Practical training involves putting trainees in new and uncontrolled environments. This type of training exposes trainees to a lot of risks, especially in medical or industrial environments. However, immersive employee training initiatives not only eliminate risks but also maintain essential training features by virtually recreating the working environment. For instance, using immersive training in a construction environment eliminates the need for trainees to wear protective gear. In addition, immersive training provides emergency responders access to realistic scenarios that help handle real-world emergencies such as fires and natural disasters.
Unlike traditional training initiatives, immersive training eliminates the need for employees to participate in person. Trainees can access and receive training content from remote locations. Moreover, employees are also prepared for the nuances of the work environment prior to the commencement of the actual work. The method is particularly beneficial to multinational companies with international presence since trainees can receive training in different locations. In addition, trainers are able to track trainees' performance in various ways using various data visualization techniques.
Traditional training initiatives could only accommodate a certain number of trainees. Immersive training improves the training efficiency and is not restricted to the number of trainees. Interestingly, trainees from different locations can receive similar training at the same time, saving on cost and time. Traditional training methods often require multiple days, depending upon the size of the training class. However, immersive training can accommodate a large number of trainees simultaneously.
Normally, conventional training takes place in closed space involving pictorial representation or basic computer programs such as Powerpoints. Although this type of training provides general information about the job, it does not provide a realistic representation of what the job entails. Immersive training provides employees with a representation of their day-to-day work and therefore adequately prepares employees to handle any task or responsibility.
Research has shown that most people are able to learn and retain information when the training process is more engaging and enjoyable. The visual nature of immersive training may be helpful to employees with difficulty in grasping complex concepts associated with regular training methods. Immersive training methods such as VR are fun and entertaining, building confidence and fulfillment to the learner. In addition, VR training grabs the attention of the learner and delivers information in a simple and more realistic way.
The advancement of technology has enabled most corporations to spread their presence across the world. One of the major challenges of expanding into new territories is the language barrier. There are over six thousand languages spoken across the world and it is, therefore, difficult to provide training in a single language. Many organizations are forced to provide training programs in languages trainees will easily understand. Imperative training initiatives allow for the modification to feature different languages.
Incorporating immersive training programs into your organization ensures trainees learn effectively at an affordable cost. As interactive methods such as virtual reality continue to develop, immersive training is becoming easier and cheaper. Additionally, as most corporations are shifting to the internet, immersive training is guaranteeing seamless online learning solutions. In the near future, it is projected that immersive training will be used in all sectors of the economy.
Contact the team at Designing Digitally, Inc. today to talk more about how immersive learning solutions could benefit your organization’s training strategy.
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