Virtual Reality and Team Building: An Outlook

Sponsored by Reason

These days, most folks have experienced virtual reality in some shape or form: it could be a Google cardboard, VR kiosk at a local mall, or an at-home VR headset from HTC or Oculus. VR headsets create interactive environments that anyone can have access to. Yet, its rapid commoditization has failed to generate mainstream adoption over the last few years. Many people wonder which industry virtual reality will find the most sustained longevity and success.

As a medium, VR enables humans to interact with each other in a virtual environment. For the last eight years, its popularity and use continue to see steady growth over time. Some industries and disciplines have found the medium useful, including designing cars, performing surgery, medical training, virtual team building, and more.

One of the primary advantages of VR vs. a 3D visual experience is that virtual reality immerses the user beyond perception. Users can interact in virtual environments either via gestures or controllers. And in the case of social VR experiences, users can interact with each other in a virtual environment. The interactiveness of a social VR experience makes it a powerful collaboration tool.

Application of Virtual Reality in Team Building

Team building is one industry where virtual reality has gained good traction. Here we’ve identified four factors that make virtual reality a good platform for bringing teams together. Let’s begin.

1. Bringing Out Real Responses

Certain things are simply too risky for a real-life team-building event, such as climbing Mount Everest, sky-diving, or waving around a lightsaber.  However, in VR, we can simulate these challenges and generate realistic responses without the risk of anyone getting hurt. Walking a tightrope across two skyscrapers in VR is equally terrifying as the real thing. It’s a thrilling experience if you have not had a chance to try it.

2. Engagement

Virtual reality as a social experience has the power to bring a team of many onto one singular mission. Working together towards a common goal and in a shared environment can be a powerful bonding experience and boost team morale. VR makes people happy, and often, having fun together is the best way to build trust and friendship amongst teams.

3. For All Group Sizes

Physical space constraint is another essential factor why virtual reality is a promising technology for team building. VR is less space-intensive than traditional physical team-building experiences, requiring large warehouse spaces located far from city centers. This makes virtual team building more accessible and cost-effective.

4. Unique Challenges

The most potent VR characteristic is its ability to create mind-blowing, impossible experiences in real life. It can put teams in the middle of a Dali painting or launch teams into orbit on a spacewalk mission. Virtual experiences can challenge teams in situations as complex or realistic as required to mirror the intensity of their real-life function without putting them in harm’s way. For example, your team can experience an epic alien crash site escape in Reason, a VR escape room in San Francisco.

Conclusion

Virtual reality is a great technology that brings people together. We hope it’s not a trend that fades away with time.  As pointed out above, some industries have found a practical use for VR, and perhaps its killer application lies somewhere between social gaming and professional applications. We are fans of VR as a technology and eagerly await what the next generation of VR applications looks like.