The top 10 benefits of immersive training – Pay close attention to #4
Let’s begin by explaining what immersive training is, and why you need to pay attention to this new trend in workplace safety training.
Immersive training refers to a training approach that involves highly engaging and interactive experiences, often leveraging technology like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), or gamified experiences.
We’ve all felt frustration and concern while reading about the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics. Back in 2020 and 2021, the US workforce experienced almost a 9% increase in preventable fatalities, especially when we’re looking at the top three main contributors, workplace violence and suicides, exposure to harmful substances in environments, and the good old slips, trips, and falls. There continue to be troubling statistics that also show that Black and Latinx workers are disproportionately affected.
If you want to eliminate preventable accidents in your workplace but aren’t sure immersive training is right for your organization – then keep reading to better understand the top 8 benefits of immersive training. You just might be curious enough to give it a try:
- Realistic Training Scenarios: Immersive training can create realistic scenarios that help employees practice handling common situations they encounter on the job, but are often overlooked. This enables learners to proactively respond to these scenarios in real life, thus enhancing personal safety and self-awareness.
- Risk-Free Environment: In a virtual environment, employees can make mistakes without the risk of real-world consequences. This is particularly beneficial for high-hazard industries like construction, oil & gas, or manufacturing, where errors can lead to serious injuries and fatalities. Or similarly, to practice catastrophic scenarios that are considered low incidence, severely high risk.
- Hands-On Learning: Immersive training offers experiential learning, which is typically more effective than a more passive learning method. Learners get to interact directly with the training material, leading to higher levels of comprehension, increased recall and retention rates, and overall applicability of the material to daily on-the-job activities.
- Incorporation of a Virtual Assistant: Problem-solving, self-advocacy skill development, and helping learners “think for themselves” is no easy feat. Using the power of VR to place learners in scenarios that not only develop their visual literacy skills for hazard identification but also begin to introduce soft skill development with a personal coach is the most powerful benefit of immersive training.
- Scalability: Immersive training programs can be easily scaled across multiple training devices such as an iPad, tablet, desktop/laptop, and VR or Mixed Reality (MR) headsets. It is important that organizations understand that you can consume immersive training programs on whatever training device you are accustomed to using.
- Immediate Feedback: Training scenarios provide instant feedback, helping trainers and learners pinpoint areas that require additional emphasis or focus areas. The ability to randomize simulations so no experience is exactly the same leads to faster improvement and a more engaging learning experience – especially for annual refresher compliance-based training requirements.
- Customized Training: Immersive training can be tailored to fit the specific needs of an organization or even individual employees, enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of the training. Moving away from content-centric to learner-centric models where the training simulations are reflective of daily operations provides added layers of realism and overall learner enjoyment.
- Mass Distribution: Depending on how an organization wants to provide immersive training, there are multiple ways to access immersive training. It is being disputed for self-paced eLearning by your favorite LMS provider, can be directly installed on an existing LMS or CMS, and used in the classroom as an instructor-led or virtual instructor-led training aid.
- Emotionally Preparing Employees: Simulations can help to familiarize employees with potentially stressful or disorienting situations. By training in these situations, employees may be less likely to panic and more likely to respond appropriately when faced with a real scenario.
- Increased Engagement: The interactive nature of immersive training often leads to higher engagement levels, which can result in better retention of information.
In summary, immersive training can lead to more effective, engaging, and safer training experiences for workplace safety. By creating a safe and healthy work environment, employers can foster a culture of well-being, reduce preventable accidents, and ultimately, increase overall employee satisfaction.
If you are curious about the benefits of immersive training and would like to know more, book a 30-minute call. You’ll be glad that you did!
