Leveraging Augmented Reality for Corporate Training

Augmented Reality is the new buzzword in corporate training. Augmented reality (AR) integrates digital or computer-generated perceptual information with the user’s real-world environment to create an enhanced version of what one sees, hears and perceives.

Empower Sales & Marketing team: AR training materials can be accessed on all screen sizes including mobile. AR helps to highlight certain features of data and provide easily accessible and timely information to the sales personnel to close a deal.

Provide Training in Safe Environment: AR is being used by the military and airline industry to provide safe, hands-on experience to its personnel in a safe environment. Also, since AR imitates every aspect of a real-time situation, learners can actually experience the stress and pressure of the actual situation.  In a simulated environment, trainees can practice their skills without fearing the consequences of a wrong step. In fact, they can actually take the wrong steps to understand the enormity of the consequences in real-life situations.

Make Learning Contextual and Interesting: General Motors was one of the first companies to use AR in its training. The company used Google Glass to train its factory workers, which enabled them to see the correct techniques to perform a job using the gadget. Since the tool also provided real-time feedback, it not only enhanced training but also made learning better and faster. The immersive nature of technology gives the learners an opportunity to see and experience rather than learn through passive observation.

Provide Training at a Global Scale: Organizations can use AR technology to provide training to their employees at remote locations. AR can be used to ‘transport’ learners to locations other than their own to get a real feel of the training session. Thus, AR makes training easier on a global scale.

Encourage Collaboration between Employees: AR can be used to transcend geographies and initiate conversation and collaboration between all employees participating in a training program. Since employees across countries are seeing the same thing at the same time, in the same simulated environment, they have the perfect opportunity to interact and share their experiences and insights with their peers, thus, improving relationships within the organization.

Gain Competitive Edge: Since AR is relatively new and not yet adopted by many companies, businesses that do adopt can get the first-mover advantage by training their employees much faster and with more efficiencies. Besides, the learners will be better prepared to handle new technology and new situations since AR gives a hands-on feel of real-life situations in virtual settings.

Retain Learnings and Insights: It goes without saying that organizations invest heavily in training employees and then struggle to retain the learnings once the employees retire or leave. AR-enabled workplaces have machine learning built into the systems to retain the learnings and allow all colleagues – past or present – to benefit from these insights. Besides, AR systems enable learners to progress at own pace, thus, making learning a more personalized experience.

To sum up, corporates can use AR technology to enhance their training. More and more organizations are therefore using AR tools in their training programs. Given that it enhances the learning experience by providing immersive training, augmented reality can cause a significant increase in the productivity of the employee and boost job understanding. Augmented reality solutions are already being extensively used in defense, automobile, healthcare, hospitality, and healthcare. Going forward, more and more industries are expected to take to augmented to unlock training value and retain insights.