5 Reasons to use virtual reality for soft skills training

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Have you ever considered using virtual reality for soft skills training?

Virtual reality has long been used to train hard skills. Just think of the flight simulator for pilots, which has been in use for decades. However, many recent studies show that it is a smart choice for soft skills training.

The use of virtual reality for soft skills training, focusing on diversity and inclusion training for new managers. They analyzed the impact of VR training on learner engagement, learner connection to the material, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional training methods such as classroom-based learning and classroom-based learning. online.

Studies show that virtual reality training for soft skills shows benefits across the board. Learners find the material more engaging, they learn more effectively, and it even leads to important wake-up calls. It may not be the obvious choice, but the virtual reality for soft skills training is superior to other learning methods.

Here, we dive into five key takeaways from the research and why virtual reality learning and skills training could be something to consider for future learning and development teams.

Why use virtual reality for soft skills training?

1. Virtual reality training is four times faster

Being able to upskill your workforce quickly is incredibly valuable. The world of work is evolving at breakneck speed and some businesses simply cannot keep up with demand, leaving their employees without the critical skills they need to do their jobs. . Being able to speed up learning and training is therefore paramount in business.

Virtual reality admission. The two-hour training in a classroom environment is done in half an hour using the power of VR and immersive learning. And this number doesn’t even take into account the amount of time it takes to get learners to class. Employees typically spend 1% of their workweek on training and development – VR Learning makes the most of that time.

2. Virtual reality learners are more confident

One of the biggest challenges for any type of strategic learning and development initiative is whether it will work. Does it help the people who use it, the employees, do their jobs better, or is it just a ticking exercise? Confidence is key to any form of training, but it’s especially important for soft skills, and the good news is that virtual reality learners have seen their confidence increase measurably. Okay.

VR simulations allow learners to practice soft skills in a safe and risk-free environment. Research shows that learners who use virtual reality for training are 35% more confident in their skills than online learners and 40% more confident than those who learn in class.

3. Virtual reality learning increases emotional connection

‍As well as being more confident in the soft skills they have learned, virtual reality users are more emotional with the training materials. This is important when it comes to diversity, equality, and inclusion training, where learners can experience the world from different perspectives.

VR learners are 3.75 times more connected to virtual reality content than those provided in the classroom. In addition, three-quarters of virtual reality learners also said they had a ‘wake-up’ moment while learning about the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion using virtual reality – they realized that they are not as inclusive as they previously thought.

4. Virtual reality learners are more focused

Employee focus time is constantly interrupted by notifications from platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. Add distractions from smartphones, impromptu meetings, or last-minute tasks that are falling on workers’ desks, and it’s no surprise that e-learning isn’t ideal for technical training. soft ability.

Learning virtual reality is different. No notifications, no constant news feed, no distractions. VR simulation eliminates distractions and immerses learners in their course content, and that is probably why virtual reality learners focus on learning content four times more than e-learners. They also take less time to get back on track if they are distracted.

5. Virtual reality training saves money at scale

‍The higher initial cost for virtual reality training. VR headsets don’t come cheap, and the upfront cost is said to be 48% larger for virtual reality learning than traditional methods. On a large scale, however, it’s a different story. Whether it’s using VR to provide training to large numbers of learners or using VR equipment over and over again, if you increase volume, you increase cost-effectiveness.

The results found that virtual reality training achieved the same cost as online learning in 1950 learners. It achieves the same cost as classroom-based training with 375 learners. After that, VR training quickly became more cost-effective, making it a smart proposition for businesses and schools.

What can we conclude?

‍Stats don’t lie: using virtual reality for soft skills training is incredibly valuable. As we said at the beginning, this is probably not the obvious solution that L&D teams need to be aware of. However, the benefits are clear. Virtual reality learning also delivers results for both organizations and individuals.

It allows businesses to upskill their employees quickly, cost-effectively, and efficiently. In a time when we’re all talking about the global skills gap, this matters a lot. And for the workforce itself, it’s more than just a ticking exercise. Virtual reality learning minimizes disruption and time away from their real work while maximizing what they get in terms of results.

In an era where we are all busier than ever, virtual reality for soft skills training opens up a lot of value. With face-to-face and e-learning initiatives not delivering the desired results, perhaps it’s time to take your organization into the future using the power of virtual reality learning.

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