Can VR Boost Remote Team Collaboration?

The workforce paradigm has changed. It is no longer a question of if teams can work remotely, but how. Although not all companies have embraced the remote workforce (I’m looking at you, Tesla), it is clear that some hybrid models will be becoming more mainstream.?

Research conducted in 27 countries revealed that employees are expecting to WFH several days per week and are even ready to trade 5% of their income for such flexibility. Moreover, many employees and companies noticed surprising benefits for well-being and productivity during the lockdown days. For example, Emilie Sidiqian, head of Salesforce France — said that employee mental health improved on a remote-working model. And productivity went up 16 percent.?

Another case of remote collaboration has been common for international companies for decades. Many companies operate with team members distributed across different locations, and such a setup is here to stay.

But remote working does come with its challenges. Certain professions simply can't function if done remotely. But others can be made to work, especially with the help of technology.?

In many cases, Virtual Reality can be that technology.

VR, XR, MR?

To make sure we're all on the same page, let's clear up a few terms:

Virtual Reality (VR) is when you use special glasses such as the Oculus or PlayStation VR to be immersed in a fully 3D world.??

Augmented Reality (AR) is when you use a device such as your phone to layer additional data on the environment around you. For example, using Google Lens to translate real-life text in front of you.??

Mixed Reality (MR) is the most sophisticated because special glasses (such as the Microsoft HoloLens) are used to overlay virtual and physical environment where objects from both "worlds" can interact in real time.

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term encompassing all of the above.?

In this article, I will focus on Virtual Reality technology as the closest replacement of face-to-face collaboration. In a remote working context, users would put on a pair of VR glasses and meet in a virtual space as if they were all in the same room.?

What are the benefits of VR for remote teams?

VR can help overcome loneliness, one of the primary complaints during the COVID-19 lockdowns, by bringing teams together and giving users a stronger sense of belonging. This is especially important when part of the team is remote while others can gather in the same room. Remotely located associates are often at risk of feeling excluded from the discussion and being unheard in the main physical room.?

VR trumps plain-old Webex calls because of the emotional connection generated by the feeling that you are sitting next to your colleagues. Being in a Virtual world equalizes everyone: people in the same room have identical settings with associates across all the remote locations.

Another big advantage of VR is that it allows full immersion. That means there is minimum distraction and multitasking, which is almost the default mode now in usual video calls. At the same time, VR allows having side conversations that spark synergy and creativity, similar to face-to-face conferences and workshops.

Last but not least, Virtual Reality can help address one of the major areas of the corporate CO2 footprint - employee travel. It represents? hard savings for the company from reducing travel? and also provides benefits for associates like less time away from family, no jet lag, less stress, and its impact on health.

VR use cases for remote collaboration

VR can be used for brainstorming, 3D data visualization, product design, live demonstrations, and dozens of other use cases.?

"The effective use of VR can reduce R&D costs and time to market significantly — as much as 10 to 15 percent for each measure", - McKinsey research.

Product and Product Management

Rapid prototyping

By using VR, products can be developed much faster because multiple remote teams can work together on the same virtual prototypes in the Virtual space. Experts from all over the world can be brought on a single project without the complexities and delays of international transport.?

Brainstorming

Brainstorming, workshopping and problem-solving are made easier through VR. Being in the "same" space creates synergy and engagement, which can be similar to face-to-face meetings. Teams can use 3D objects to make discussions more concrete and collaboration tools like flip charts to note down ideas and export them later into a digital format (how often the paper notes from the brainstorming go straight to the bin…)

Learning and Development

VR-based training

VR is especially useful for creating a learning environment. High-risk training can be initially conducted in a safe VR space until participants are proficient enough to be able to try the procedure in real life.

For example, surgery has advanced so rapidly and there is so much new medical equipment on the market that training surgeons in these new techniques might become a challenge. Justin Barad, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon and a founder of Osso VR says, "Learning curve data shows that you have to perform a new procedure 100 times to be proficient. So we often didn't use the new devices for safety reasons — we didn't have time to learn everything well enough."

The UCLA clinical validation study has confirmed that VR training can improve overall surgical performance by 230% compared to participants who got traditional training. Moreover, VR-trained participants completed the surgery procedures 20% faster and with much less errors.

VR Onboarding

Before new recruits even step in the door, they can be onboarded to their new role through a VR introduction. By the time they come in for their first day, they can hit the floor running, comfortable that they know both the space and their team members.

Corporate Events and Meetings

Thanks to VR, costly corporate retreats can be carried out remotely, or a hybrid retreat can be organized to cater to employees who cannot make the trip. Of course, it can't replace the value of in-person communication, but it still helps with team-building and making everyone on the team feel included.?

In the metaverse, you can bring your team to any exotic location and make the event really memorable. All without costly travel and worries about COVID restrictions.

The challenges of VR in remote teams collaboration

Learning new tech

VR is an entirely new interface and user experience, so associates will have to get used to it. You will need to organize onboardings and have resources to support and troubleshoot any issues.?

The good news is that after a bit of practice, the navigation in VR gets natural and intuitive, while VR apps feel as familiar as Zoom or Webex. After all, people managed to learn to use a keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, and voice assistants. I am sure anyone can master a VR headset as well.

Cost

To engage in a remote VR meeting, each user needs to have a VR headset. These aren't cheap at the moment, with prices ranging from $400 to $1500 for the latest Meta Quest Pro. Some specialized headsets for classified work, like VIVE Pro Secure, can cost up to $9000.

On the other hand, international companies with remote teams that need to get together regularly will likely recoup these costs through majorly reduced travel expenses and productivity boosts.

3D spaces and assets

A collaborative VR meeting needs a virtual space to meet in and meaningful 3D assets. There are many dozens of platforms that provide ready-made virtual spaces. The difficulty might lie in which one to choose because none are highly established and so might not survive in the long term. For companies needing custom-made virtual spaces (e.g., production facilities), developing such spaces becomes an additional burden.?

The great benefit of VR collaborative meetings is that remote teams can interact with "physical objects" as if they are really there — architectural models, new engine models, a prototype of a shoe, or any product a company sells. For the meeting to be realistic, those 3D assets need to be created using special tools with the finest attention to detail.?

That being said, the benefits might still greatly outweigh the cons.

Conclusion

New post-COVID hybrid workforce models and international operations require connecting associates from multiple locations. By implementing VR collaboration solutions, companies can boost remote teams' emotional connection, engagement, and productivity. Associates can carry out training, collaborate on product development, engage in onboarding, celebrate milestones and do many other activities that can be done in the physical world.

There are still challenges to overcome before VR becomes mainstream, but companies can already take advantage of tangible benefits in the short term. That short-term experimentation can also help to realize VR's big transformational potential in the longer term.

Share your thoughts and your experiences with VR in the comments below.

PS: If you are interested in digital transformation, you might also like this article How to Accelerate Digital Transformation with Knowledge Management | LinkedIn