Is Virtual Reality the New Recruiting Frontier?

If you’ve ever donned a headset and been transported to a virtual world, you’ll likely agree that virtual reality (VR) has tremendous potential for various business functions, including recruiting, onboarding, and training.

Realizing that potential, however, is another matter.

Engagement vs. Expense

Virtual reality remains associated largely with gaming and young people, although people of all ages seem to get hooked on the experience once they try it. Even self-proclaimed Luddites tend to become highly engaged when in a VR world.
Since engagement is a goal when recruiting, onboarding, and training, it sounds like a perfect fit. Nevertheless, companies have been slow to embrace VR.
Expense is often cited as a factor. VR headsets that are compatible with personal computers can’t be used with just any PC; high-performance “gaming” PCs are required—and the cost of multiple headsets and computer systems can add up quickly.

Misperceptions

And then there are the misperceptions which hold companies back from journeying down the VR road. These include:

• Only young job candidates and young employees are interested in VR.
• VR may be applicable to a tech company, but we’re a [fill in the blank] company.
• If we use gaming when recruiting, onboarding, and/or training, job candidates and new hires won’t take the work we do at ABC Company seriously.
• It’s better to share information in a real-world environment; it allows for a more authentic experience.

Tapping Tech

Nevertheless, several companies have taken the leap.
Business Insider reports that Walmart employees across the country will use VR for job training by the end of this year. Walmart made the announcement at its annual shareholder meeting in May. To deliver the experience at its training academies, the retail giant has partnered with Silicon Valley startup STRIVR, a provider of immersive training.
STRIVR clients include Bank of America, PNC, Visa, Pepsi, as well as the NFL and Clemson University. These and other organizations are at various stages of implementation.
While the focus at STRIVR is on job training, VR also lends itself to recruiting and onboarding.
Talent Economy reports that Deutsche Bann, a Berlin-based mobility and logistics provider, uses virtual videos to give job seekers an idea of what it’s like to work for the company. Videos are tailored to specific roles, including several that are hard to fill.
Deutsche Bann first began bringing VR headsets to career fairs in 2015, according to Talent Economy. The opportunity to experience jobs via VR has generated more interest in the roles, says the company’s head of talent acquisition.
Philadelphia-based restaurant chain Honeygrow has received widespread media coverage for its use of VR for onboarding. The VR world seeks to mirror what new associates will experience while on the job. Honeygrow also uses VR during the interview phase when recruiting for some positions.
The company says VR allows for a uniform, engaging experience that speeds up the onboarding process and results in better cultural alignment.
Yet not all press has been positive. A Philly Biz article, published in July, is titled, “Honeygrow’s New Virtual Reality Training Seems Like One Big PR Stunt.”

Paula Santonocito, Contributing Editor for Recruiting Daily Advisor, is a business journalist specializing in employment issues. She is the author of more than 1,000 articles on a wide range of human resource and career topics, with an emphasis on recruiting and hiring. Her articles have been featured in many global and domestic publications and information outlets, referenced in academic and legal publications as well as books, and translated into several languages.