How Can Virtual Reality Be Used as a Tool in Employee Induction Training?

VR is one of the most promising technologies for training and learning experiences.

VR as a Technology

Virtual reality in training is a simulated experience that can be close to or exactly similar to real-world scenarios. The words, virtual means imaginary, and reality means the practical situation. This can be put in simple words as creating a real-life situation without actually getting into that situation to train people. In the beginning, virtual reality was predominately used in Gaming applications and cinematic experiences. However, as time went on and technology improved, it became clear that VR has practical applications in various trainings in everyday life.

How VR is used in training sector in industry?

Now a days organizations are adapting VR training techniques that offer immersive learning that can train the workforce faster than ever before. With the help of VR gadgets like gloves, headsets, glasses, and bodysuits, the learner gets to immerse in a highly simulated environment that provides lifelike scenarios providing them better learning in the safest way possible.

VR training offers a 360-degree active learning environment along with the experience of sound and sight, thus breaking the barriers between virtual and actual reality. With the help of the gadgets, the learner responds and reacts to the situations created. Using VR different trainings can be implemented such as safety training, induction process training as well as Compact VR based simulators.

Traditional training vs AATRAL’S VR training

Traditionally, employee training involved a blended learning approach that included manuals, videos, classroom sessions, on-the-job training, and one-on-one mentorship. This approach turned out to be very expensive as the in-person training required extra time from the employee affecting productivity, travel time, and infrastructure cost covered for the trainer and the training material. And, this could not be extended to a larger group. On the other hand, such training when reaching larger groups isn’t as effective.

AATRAL has developed a platform to accelerate the development of VR applications to train the workforce on process specific training, maintenance and repair, audits and inspection, even in assembly operations. We build, operate, manage, host, and distribute bespoke AR and VR apps tailored to our customers’ specific requirements across the industries we serve.

Benefits of using AATRAL’s virtual reality training:

One major benefit of this platform from bringing virtual reality training capabilities into their operations is a drastic reduction in training costs
Training can be done anywhere, anytime.
Virtual reality eliminates the need for real-time supervision.
Virtual reality training gives workers immediate feedback.
Virtual reality makes learning engaging and interactive.
Increase in operational efficiency
Decreased Incident cost
Reduced onboarding time

Virtual reality in employee training can enhance learning outcomes, increase engagement, and make training more effective. It can also be used as a supplement to other forms of training. Here are some other benefits of using virtual reality for employee training:

No infrastructure needed:
The cost savings from this could be significant enough to convince your management which can even eradicate training costs associated with costly equipment’s needed in traditional training methods.
Training in a realistic environment:
If you have employees who need to learn how to perform certain tasks in a dangerous environment (for example, emergency response team members), virtual reality is a great way to for employees to practice those tasks without being put in actual harm's way.

Here are some ways in which virtual reality can be used as a tool for training purposes.

Virtual reality in Induction process Training:

One of the most obvious uses of VR is in the induction training process. This can be used to teach employees how to operate machinery safely, conduct themselves at work, and generally how to do their job. VR allows employees to engage in risky activities as many times as they need without risking harm until they are fully competent in a task.

VR enables new employees to learn while minimizing the risk posed by their lack of experience and knowledge

Aatral has deployed a VR training solution in one of the leading automobile industries in the manufacturing plant. The client had approached Aatral for a possible solution for providing training to its employees for a critical loop in an engine assembly consisting of 8 different steps. The manufacturing plant for this assembly was yet to be setup and they wanted to train the employees beforehand to reduce the training time.

Aatral proposed a VR training module consisting of an environment and the manufacturing parts replicating the actual assembly line. The module was to be deployed in two modes of training – Instructional and Assessment. Instructional mode is a learning module in which the user is provided with visual and audio cues to guide him with the steps for the assembly. Assessment mode is an evaluation module in which the knowledge of the user is evaluated without providing any audio or visual cues. At the end of the training, a detailed report of the steps executed, the steps failed, and the time taken for each step in recorded in a report.

The training was highly successful in the industry and the evaluation from the VR training report is now added as a standard to decide if the employee can enter the actual assembly line.

It also creates a safe environment for employees who have not yet acquired skills but are expected to perform tasks requiring those skills (which is obviously not safe). Using VR over other types of training helps reduce the risk of workplace accidents which can cause injuries, lawsuits, and bad PR for companies.

VR is also cost-effective because it provides easy access to specialized equipment that may otherwise be difficult or expensive for an employer to obtain, which reduces cost barriers for training and recruitment. Furthermore, once a program has been developed there are no recurring costs as it can easily be changed and updated with new information.

Functional Areas Actively Embracing VR Induction Training:

Manufacturing industries for training in assembly line operations
Any industry using standard operating procedures in operations such as warehouses, mining, pharmaceutical, automotive
Orientation training imparted to new employees as part of their induction program. This includes industrial standards, best practices and safety measures.

Virtual Reality as a Tool in Safety Training

Facts and Figures:

A worker died every 99 minutes from a work related injury in 2019
14 employees don’t return home each day.
5333 occupational injuries in 2019 by far the largest annual number since 2007.
Work place injuries cost US$470 million in direct and indirect costs.

Hazard Pyramid

Through Virtual reality, we should target to stop the bottom layer in the hazard pyramid.

Using VR to train employees in areas like safety procedures and other skills like communication can have a number of benefits. Since with VR, training is done in a virtual environment, there's less risk of anyone getting injured or causing actual damage. And while in the virtual environment, they can get practice at identifying risks and taking appropriate actions to mitigate them or solve other problems, so these skills are honed without endangering anyone else in the process.
Another benefit to virtual reality training is that it makes learning new things fun instead of boring because they're not just reading something out of a textbook. It's also easier to retain information this way than if someone were just listening to someone lecture at them; because your brain retains more when you see and do something rather than just hear about it (or read about it). This means that employees will be up to date on what you need them to know without spending hours reading manuals or taking notes from PowerPoint presentations.
Another benefit of virtual reality is that it allows trainees to practice for situations that would be too dangerous or expensive to recreate otherwise. For example, trainees could participate in simulations of risky military situations at their workplace. They could also receive the same kind of training on how to handle accidents at a chemical plant without having to worry about an actual spill occurring during the training session. Virtual reality technology has been used successfully by companies like Boeing and Airbus who want their pilots to experience flying different types of planes before they begin operating them.

Virtual reality for fire safety training and emergency preparedness:

Aatral has deployed a VR Fire training solution module for leading Oil and Gas industries

Fires prove disastrous to several businesses, human and property. They can happen anywhere and anytime ignited by something very small such as a toaster or an overloaded surge protector.

While we wish, we never have to cope up with such an emergency situation, it is always vital that all employees are well trained to face such situations in real life.

The different sections which need to be covered as part of a fire safety training are –

Identifying signs of fire
Fire extinguisher usage
Safe evacuation procedures

Industries are ready to invest in huge amounts to train their employees for all these situations.

Prevention is always better than cure. Training employees to identify signs of hazard in any workplace could prevent several fire hazards. Frequent signs of hazards are identified and simulated in a virtual environment which feels close to real to an actual environment. Employees can train multiple times to observe and identify any possible hazards.

Fire extinguisher usage during a fire drill is something all of us have experienced as any point in life. But how do you think we will react in an actual fire incident? What better way to experience it than to simulate it in a virtual environment. Several environments can be created each catering to situations for individual industries and their most common causes of fire incident.

Through an immersive walkthrough and with usage of animated supervisor characters, employees can learn the safe evacuation procedures to be followed in an engaged manner.

The speed and impact with which fires can strike, it is vital that preparedness must be a top priority for all businesses.

Functional Areas Actively Embracing VR safety Training:

Fire safety training and emergency evacuation procedures in warehouses, factories, and corporate industries as well
Behavioral based safety training imparted to employees which aids in building a safety culture mindset
Most common safety modules which are part of any industry like confined space safety, working at height etc.

VR compact simulators

Simulators have always been a part of training solutions like driving simulator etc. With the advent of VR technology, highly immersive solutions are possible for training using simulators. The cost of installation of multiple displays in the traditional simulators can be replaced with a cost effective VR training module which provides a very immersive view.

Considering the pace at which the VR headsets are evolving, integration with sensors and other hardware solutions are becoming easier every day. This leads to highly portable simulator solutions thus reducing the overall cost of installation.

Hardware based simulators might not be able to generate all possible scenarios for training. VR based simulators integrated with hardware solutions provide scalable opportunities to induce several scenarios for training harnessing the AI technologies. Multiple attempts at running the training has never been easier. Reset and replay mechanisms are an added advantage.

Helicopter simulators and truck simulators:

Aatral is developing a VR compact simulator for training helicopter pilots in Indian Army.

Of late, we have been observing multiple accidents due to helicopter crashes. Several reasons are attributed to these incidents like unfavorable weather conditions, technical malfunctions, lesser flying hours etc.

Virtual reality-based helicopter simulators integrated with hardware controls act as perfect solutions to provide training to new pilots. VR based simulators reduce the form factor to a large extent and these are highly portable.

Multiple terrains, multiple weather conditions, weather of day simulations along with induced failure conditions can also be the features of this package.

An instructor operator station can be integrated where the actions of the trainee can be tracked by the trainer.

These solutions will act as life-saving solutions in training the pilots.

Similar to the helicopter simulator, truck simulator portable solutions can also be created using virtual reality.

Frequent accident data can be collected, and those situations can be simulated inside the VR module. The steering controls in a truck can be integrated along with the VR module. The truck drivers can be trained to maneuver the vehicles during emergency situations.

Functional Areas Actively Embracing VR simulator:

Industries which need employees to be trained in driving vehicles such as car, trucks
Equipment handling training such as an EOT crane
Large scale simulators such as helicopter simulator and flight simulators for government and private organizations.

Conclusion:

In the last couple of years, there has been a significant rise in virtual training. The best part is that it’s not just limited to the gaming industry anymore. With a projected growth rate to overtake all other forms of media by 2025 (VR growth rate by 2025), Virtual reality (VR) definitely holds promise when it comes to improving employee training.

The biggest advantage of using VR for employee training is that it increases engagement levels amongst learners, which leads to better retention and faster learning. VR can also facilitate cost savings and improved ROI on training programs.

Examples of Companies Using VR Training

Virtual reality training is actually not a new technology. It is being used in industries that require simulation training like flying a plane or cruising a ship. Considering its benefits with the refinement in the VR for business, other industries too are taking advantage of the same.

Mentioned below are some of the examples that have successfully adopted VR training.

ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil is using VR for safety training. Learning starts with putting on the safety gear and headphones and getting the controllers to engage multiple senses to experience how VR will react.

For oil and gas operators, learning through the virtual garage is a tough lesson learned easily and safely. The learner can get on to the loading tanker to handle various conditions created by VR from mundane tasks to the most complex situation. The employee thus gets to polish his/her skill with better problem-solving capabilities and quicker decision-making. This prepares them well to work smartly and safely.

KFC

Having their branches across the globe, it is important to bring consistency in the taste with the right ingredients and cooking techniques. KFC has been using virtual reality for training employees to make them practice so that they can come up to the level that the taste developed is oh-so-good.

Walmart

Walmart trained its employees on the new technology that was introduced for the in-store pickup options. The goal was to ensure the pickup standard consistency across the locations.

Employees were trained virtually on the new technology even before the equipment was installed by providing them with a virtual environment and situations based on the new technology. This helped them remove interruptions from regular business flow and reduced the time needed to train the employees drastically.