You may have heard that virtual reality is the next “big thing” in technology, and how they will revolutionise the way we live, learn, work and play. And they may completely change how we attract, engage and recruit talent in the future as well.
Wondering if virtual reality is just a fad? Let’s take a look at a few stats and you’ll see why VR is here to stay.
The leading statistics company Statista forecasts that the VR market will reach a staggering $300 billion in 2020. The total number of active VR users worldwide is projected to reach 90 million in 2017, and will surpass 170 million by 2018, and this number is expected to grow at a very fast rate in the coming years.
It’s clear that VR is here and won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. So how can you use this technology to get ahead of the curve and recruit today’s top talent in an increasingly competitive market?
Here are some out-of-box ideas you can use to deliver unique, memorable experiences to your candidates and bring your employer brand to life through virtual reality:
- VR Office Tours
Wouldn’t it be great if you’re able to showcase your workplace beyond photos? Well, now you can! With VR videos, you can give candidates an immersive and interactive look into various parts of your company, as if they were physically there taking an office tour in-person.
As a VR video plays, candidates can move around within the video and explore every angle of the office and see all the real, unscripted moments that happen there, like a high five between two employees or someone telling a joke that brings endless laughs to their coworkers.
From the lounge area to the kitchen, meeting rooms, office desks, game room and other unique spaces your office has, candidates can get a real sense of what it’s really like walking through the halls of your company.
If your company has multiple locations, VR can give candidates and even your current employees a chance to explore other offices and see what it would be like working in other parts of the company around the world.
For your top candidates, you can roll out a true “red carpet” experience by delivering them a free iComputingLabs VR Headset Pro they can use to explore and engage with your company. For as little as Rs 2500, you can make your top candidates feel extra special and differentiate you from other companies who are approaching them as well.
Case Study: As part of their recruiting pitch to stand out at campus events, the consumer foods company General Mills is creating a fun, memorable candidate experience through virtual reality. Students can take a virtual tour of the General Mills headquarters in Minneapolis and “see” for themselves what the culture, office, and community looks like.
- “A Day In The Job” VR Experiences
Most candidates want to know what it’s like to work in the role they’re interested in before applying. It’s why many companies have started writing blog posts to get employees to share their insights into what “a day in the job of” a specific role may look like.
With VR videos, you can go beyond words and photos and give candidates the ability to truly experience and see a role through the lens of an employee. Candidates can follow employees and get a closer look at what they would do on a typical day in various roles at your company − from the meetings they attend to the projects they’re working on, and even the co-workers they hang out with at lunch.
“A day in the job” VR videos offer a completely unique storytelling and brand experience to your candidates that will help you stand out from your competitors and, at the same time, help candidates self-select based on the content they watch, which ultimately improves your recruiting efficiencies by lowering the number of applicants who may not be a good fit.
Case Study: The German railway company Deutsche Bahn is offering candidates the opportunity to “experience” different roles through VR before applying, getting a close look at what it’s like to work as an electrician or train driver.
- VR Company Events
Engage your candidates more deeply by sharing a 360-degree livestream and recording of both your internal and external events for those who may not be able to participate in-person.
You can use VR videos for everything from your happy hours to open houses, meetups, hackathons, training workshops, conferences, CSR events and even office holiday parties.
Unlike today’s video or webinar recordings, VR allows candidates to fully immerse themselves in the event and explore from all angles to get a full picture of the event as well as your office, culture and attendees, as if they were actually attending in-person.
You can even extend your VR livestream or recording to capture the event setup and takedown, giving candidates an exclusive backstage, “behind-the-scene” look at your event, which can be just as interesting and fun as the actual event itself.
Case Study: The e-commerce startup Jet.com has tapped into VR to deliver candidates an immersive look into the company’s culture and office.