Employees will wear VR headsets showing them real-life scenarios from Walmart, such as storing fresh food or cleaning mess in the aisles between shelves, as well as seasonal sales or the traditional pre-Christmas turmoil.
The headsets will also be connected to a screen where other participants in the classroom can watch what the particular employee sees in the glasses and how successfully they are performing the given tasks.
In a virtual environment, employees are confronted with real-life situations, including the impact of their actions on customers. They can correct mistakes more easily and learn how to solve problems they have not yet experienced.
They can virtually visit other Walmart branches and shops and find inspiration in their practices without having physically to travel there.
How did the idea arise?
An article on the Walmart blog entitled From Football to Retail explains that the first inspiration was brought by an employee - a manager of operations who saw a training session of a US College Football team using virtual reality.
He spoke with the players and the coach and learned how this real-life training helped them improve their responses and skills. He was so delighted with it that he submitted the idea at work.
Virtual reality has improved significantly in recent years and its use for employee training is rising. According to the Business Insider website, it is already being used in the US not only by athletes, but also by oil companies or hospitals.
Do you have personal experience with the use of virtual reality in employee training? Let us know.
-kk-