Virtual reality technology is rapidly becoming a crucial consideration for any business leader looking to promote better productivity and collaboration among hybrid teams. Through video conferencing, file sharing, and screen sharing tools represent a positive step in the right direction for the future of digital teamwork, they may not be enough to fully replace face-to-face interactions.
As remote work continues to grow increasingly popular, business leaders need a way to bridge the gaps between their staff members and power better outcomes in the process. According to some studies, by the end of 2024, the enterprise use cases for VR will reach a value of around $24.5 billion.
So, what kind of benefits can companies expect if they join the VR revolution?
The Biggest Benefits of VR Collaboration
Virtual reality represents a powerful alternative to simple video conferencing or messaging interactions in the age of remote and hybrid work. Experts say that VR business calls and collaboration sessions will usher in a new age of more nuanced, non-verbal communication. Since up to 75% of all communication is non-verbal, this could be key to improved team interactions.
Through VR collaboration environments, businesses can:
- Drive better company culture: Strong company culture develops when employees are on the same page. VR technology supports more immersive, human connections between team members, replicating the body language and facial expressions of in-person interactions. With the sense of “presence” offered by VR, companies can encourage better bonds between staff members and pave the way for a better employer reputation
- Improved communication: Great communication is at the heart of good collaboration. When you work remotely, communication lag is commonly a problem, caused by people waiting for message responses or emails. In a virtual environment, you’re working in the same space, at the same time, with visuals and virtual tools that can add context to a conversation. The result is fewer misunderstandings and better business outcomes
- Better focus during collaboration: Video conferencing is improving the way that teams can work together on issues in a face-to-face environment. However, it’s still easy for employees to be distracted by other work when in a video call. During a VR meeting, everyone is fully invested in the environment, and outside distractions are eliminated
- Enhanced training opportunities: Rather than just having someone explain a situation to an employee as part of a collaborative training experience, you can bring people together in teams in a VR environment for education. This allows employees to recreate environments in virtual reality that may be dangerous or inaccessible in the real world. Staff can get a true experience of what it might be like to work with their colleagues in those situations
- Greater creativity: When team members come together in a shared space to collaborate on tasks or work on projects, they can allow their creativity to shine through. VR can allow product developers to tweak design elements in real-time and test the potential results of any changes. Teams can explore creative solutions to common business problems, without wasting any physical resources or materials
It’s Time to Take VR Collaboration to the Next Level
Virtual team collaboration could be the key to empowering the modern workforce. As hybrid and remote workplaces continue to thrive, the VR environment can provide everyone in your workplace with a shared space where they can share content and ideas. VR brings presence back to the collaborative environment, in a world where physical connections aren’t possible.
