5 reasons to use virtual reality in recruiting

When you think about virtual reality, you may think about how it has been used in the entertainment industry, such as by enhancing the gaming experience and improving graphics in sci-fi movies.

However, virtual reality has more practical applications in everyday life and many company owners are starting to realize this. For example, companies that use Skype and similar tools to communicate regularly with remote workers could use advanced virtual reality technology for collaboration, making remote workers feel like they’re actually in the office and thus, more like a part of the team.

Some businesses are also using virtual reality when recruiting new employees, and it offers several advantages that your business could start benefiting from soon if you adopt this technology.

1. Attracting Top Talent

To recruit top talent, you have to sell your company and work environment to experienced and well-educated candidates. Virtual reality can be incorporated into your recruiting efforts to create a more personalized recruitment experience while also showcasing your company as a technological leader in the industry.

For instance, Deutsche Bahn wanted to attract younger candidates to apply for open positions. By implementing the use of virtual reality headsets at job fairs, the company was able to increase the number of quality applications it received from younger individuals by as much as ten percent.

Remember that virtual reality enables a more personalized contact with potential candidates in comparison to video calls that you may currently be using. This could help your HR team to build rapport with leading candidates, which may give you a competitive edge.

2. Seeing Candidates in Action

Virtual reality can be used for attracting employees, but also instead of the job interview. Giving candidates a virtual tour of the office is a way of selling a great work environment to top candidates.

But let’s concentrate on the second use. Hiring managers can test the skills of different candidates through virtual reality technology. For example, they can see how a chef, a pilot or an engineer may complete specific tasks relevant to the position they are interviewing for.

Hiring the right candidate for the job is critical to your business, but not everyone interviews well. Some people may be shy or apprehensive. In some cases, gender may create a bias during the interview process. Through this technology, everyone’s skills may be evenly compared. They will feel as though the hiring process was fair, and you will be able to find the most qualified individual out of your pool of candidates.

3. Taking Stress Out of the Equation

Searching for a new job can be stressful for potential candidates. In fact, it can be one of the more stressful life experiences that individuals will endure. After all, many of these individuals may have a critical need to get a new job, and this creates pressure. They may also feel as though they are being scrutinized heavily, and this can create additional stress.

The use of virtual reality technology during the interview process allows the individual to relax in a comfortable environment. This can decrease stress levels substantially. In addition, the applicant may feel less scrutinized throughout the interviewing process.

4. Saving Money

The use of virtual reality technology in your workplace might seem like an expensive endeavor. After all, you may need to hire graphic designers, programmers, and others to create a virtual reality scenario. However, you do not necessarily need expensive technology to take advantage of virtual reality in the workplace. You can invest in cheaper reality devices, like Google Cardboard or Daydream VR, which may satisfy your needs for the time being. If you like what they do for you, you can consider bigger investments.

There is a true value associated with the use of this technology. We all know that recruiting and training comes with costs and that employee retention is a way of saving money. Virtual reality will help your recruiting team make more educated decisions about who to extend an offer to. Those who accept an offer of employment will have a better understanding of the job description, work environment and other factors that are relevant to their happiness in the position. Those people aren’t likely to quit when the going gets tough – they will know what to expect. Your employees will be happy, productive, and your budget won’t suffer.

5. It’s Fun

The use of virtual reality technology in your workplace can be fun and beneficial for everybody involved. Existing employees can experiment with the technology during the designing process to add a fun element to the workday.

Candidates may have a fun time interviewing with your company, and they may even gain a better understanding about why they were or were not selected for the position. It will be easier for them to understand why they received a rejection letter. There are many reasons why someone might not have been chosen for the job, but this way, the candidates will know that the decision was objective.

Actual games can be used as a part of the hiring process. Code-breaking virtual reality puzzles are used to test candidates’ tenacity and ability to think outside the box when they’re interviewing for a position with Jaguar. Marriott used virtual reality in a different way. It created a virtual reality game on Facebook with the intention of enticing millennials to interview with the company for job openings.

To Conclude

Using new technology in the workplace can be intimidating, but yesterday’s new technology is commonplace today. This means that learning how to effectively and creatively use virtual reality today will pave the way for recruiting efforts in the future. By being one of the first in your industry to use the technology, you may gain recognition and enjoy the benefits it offers.