Immersive onboarding: how Augmented Reality is changing HR for good

Welcome back to Aryel’s blog.

Usually, we find ourselves addressing our brethren in the marketing world, helping them find innovative ways to connect with audiences, stay ahead of trends, and all of the in-between. But today, our Human Resources friends, this one’s for you.

As an HR professional, your mission to assemble the right talent, nurture their growth, and sustain a harmonious organizational culture is nothing short of herculean. You’ve explored back and forth the possibilities offered by the tech landscape – recruiting on LinkedIn, utilizing AI for talent acquisition, experimenting with engagement apps – yet you sometimes feel like you’re merely skimming the surface of the vast ocean of tech possibilities.

As we like to say to our fellow marketer friends – you’re not alone, dear HR warrior. We’re in this together.

In this era in which technology reshapes workspaces, it’s more critical than ever to break out of conventional HR practices and embrace the transformative power of emerging tech trends. So what’s this all about, you wonder?

Today, we want to switch gears and delve into a topic not far from our argument of choice – Augmented Reality – to introduce you to AR’s innovative and beneficial applications in Human Resources.

So, strap in, because we’re steering this conversation towards an exploration of Augmented Reality and its potential in the realm of HR. We promise it will be an exciting journey, and we’re thrilled to have you on board.

Do you remember your first day at work? The flood of unfamiliar faces, the labyrinth-like corridors, the daunting new systems and procedures… Now, imagine if you could take all of that complexity and transform it into an engaging, interactive AR experience.
What do you say? You can’t imagine?

Okay, so picture this: instead of a boring onboarding day, made of videos about the culture and a couple hours of face-to-face lessons with some of the company’s key figures, you can welcome newcomers (pun intended) with an Augmented Reality scavenger hunt as part of the onboarding process.

Through AR image recognition, new hires can scan real-world 2D images like a poster or sign around the workplace using their mobile device. This could trigger interactive digital posters that delve into the organization’s founding, interactive video presentations of its leadership members, or even a virtual map highlighting key areas within the business (such as the coffee machine).

That’s the power of AR in employee onboarding. It can help new hires navigate the office layout, understand company policies, and learn about their role – all through a captivating, self-paced AR journey. You can finally focus on making a positive first impression!

AR for employee onboarding has many benefits:

• Reuse and distribute training at scale: create your AR onboarding content once and use it to train hundreds or thousands of new hires, irrespective of their location. It’s like having a personal onboarding assistant, available 24/7.
• Consistent onboarding materials: with AR, every new recruit receives the same immersive, interactive onboarding experience, maintaining the consistency of your brand message and culture.
• Independent learning: AR reduces dependency on subject matter experts. All the necessary information is embedded in the AR experience, freeing up valuable time for your experts.
• Efficient problem solving: AR can speed up the process of resolving issues, by offering on-the-spot virtual guidance, making those first few weeks smoother for new hires.
• Safety at the forefront: AR can help familiarize newly hired employees with safety procedures and potentially hazardous zones in a safe, controlled virtual environment, reducing the likelihood of safety incidents.

With AR, onboarding becomes less about paperwork and formalities, and more about exploration and engagement. It’s a fresh, dynamic, and immersive way to welcome new hires to your company, right from day one.

Augmented Reality has the power to transform complex equipment training into an interactive, risk-free learning journey. Consider the case of a fledgling automotive technician, new to the intricate world of vehicle repair. Traditionally, they’d have to learn on the job, shadowing experienced colleagues and handling complex machinery right off the bat. But with AR, a safer, more effective method of learning is finally here.

The new technician could use AR object recognition to learn how to change defective components, instead of a traditional operation manual. By scanning the motor, our technicians can overlay digital assets, providing rich, contextual knowledge of every part of the car. This could include informational text about the object, isolated areas that highlight specific parts, or even virtual demonstrations of the process.

The impact of these augmented learning experiences isn’t limited to the automotive industry. The benefits of such an innovative approach to training and skill acquisition extend across diverse sectors, especially those where complex machinery or intricate craftsmanship is involved.

Take, for example, the watchmaking industry. It’s a field steeped in tradition, precision, and mastery of the minutest details. A perfect timepiece is an intricate symphony of tiny gears and springs working harmoniously. Training new watchmakers in such a delicate craft can be costly, considering the materials and hours involved.

This is where AR comes in, revolutionizing how industries like watch manufacturing approach training. AR allows learners to interact with and understand the intricate mechanics of a timepiece without using a single physical component. It offers new apprentices a unique opportunity to dive into the intricate world of watchmaking in 3D, experiencing each tiny cog, spring, and gear in unprecedented detail.

By reducing the need for physical materials and resources, this approach can lead to significant cost savings. Not to mention, AR allows for mistakes to be made without wasting precious resources or causing potential damage. This same logic applies across various complex manufacturing industries.

Regardless of the complexity of the machinery – be it engines, POS systems, or drills – AR object recognition recreates real-life objects as detailed digital forms. Learners can manipulate, explore, and master these digital forms before even stepping foot on the job.

This interactive approach paves the way for safer, more efficient, and effective learning, proving that when it comes to mastering complex machinery and procedures, AR is indeed a game-changer.

In a world where remote work is becoming the norm, keeping your team connected can be quite a challenge. With Augmented Reality, you can design interactive team-building activities that bring your team closer, no matter where they’re located. Imagine a virtual treasure hunt or a collaborative AR puzzle – fun, engaging, and excellent for team spirit.
Moving beyond conventional group exercises, AR propels team building into a realm of gamified challenges and interactive adventures.

AR enables the creation of a variety of games, challenging the staff to overcome hurdles and achieve objectives. The goals are two-fold: foster better teamwork and generate an unforgettable experience.

And the benefits, you ask? Well, there are manifold:

• Heightened employee involvement: AR infuses value from an emotional perspective, enriching the collective experience.
• Guaranteed awe-factor: AR captivates new participants, drawing them into the activity with its immersive and interactive aspect.
• Potential for viral spread: these one-of-a-kind experiences promote sharing and endorsing across social media channels.
• Nurturing loyalty: a perfect opportunity to foster stronger ties with your team and amplify loyalty towards the organization.
• Abundance of performance measures: with AR, you’re able to oversee metrics, KPI’s, and evaluate the results of team building activities.
• A platform for brand promotion: participation in such avant-garde activities reinforces brand position and incites a buzz around your enterprise.

Recruitment is no longer a one-sided affair. In this highly competitive market, you need more than just a good offer to snag top candidates. In the battle for top talent, AR could be your secret weapon. By leveraging Augmented Reality in your recruitment strategy, you can stand out in the crowd and attract the brightest minds.

Think about it: AR doesn’t create a whole new world. Instead, it overlays digital information onto the real world, enhancing our reality and giving potential candidates an immersive and engaging experience of what working at your company might be like.

AR can vividly portray your company culture, benefits, and growth opportunities, leaving an impactful, lasting impression on potential recruits. It’s a little like a test drive, letting candidates interact with your products and resources remotely and safely. But AR’s magic extends beyond that, bringing invaluable advantages to several stages of the recruitment process.

You could create an AR experience that showcases your company culture, benefits, and opportunities, leaving a lasting impression on potential recruits. Or you could create an engaging Augmented Reality quiz to test the cultural and knowledge fit of candidates.

Beyond traditional assessment methods, AR enables unique insights into a candidate’s potential. AR-powered games can simulate different scenarios, helping recruiters gauge how candidates might react under specific conditions.

But perhaps the most significant perk of AR in recruitment is the ability to simulate the work environment. AR-powered games can create a stress-free replication of the workplace, allowing candidates to decide if they’re genuinely keen on the role.
In the battle for top talent, AR could be your secret weapon. Ready to level up your recruitment game?

There’s no need to be boring with your company’s onboarding.
In this fast-paced digital world, AR offers the magic to sprinkle a bit of excitement into your HR practices. Whether it’s introducing a new hire to your company’s values via a scavenger hunt, teaching them to operate complex machinery in a risk-free environment, creating a unique team-building activity, or standing out in the competitive talent market, AR opens up a realm of possibilities.

With its ability to overlay digital information onto the real world, AR creates a more engaging, immersive, and effective learning and recruitment environment. It’s not just about using technology for the sake of technology. It’s about enhancing the human experience, streamlining processes, and making your company an exciting place to work.

Moreover, AR offers an innovative solution to recruitment challenges and helps attract top talent. The interactive nature of AR, along with the ability to simulate different work scenarios, provides invaluable insights into a candidate’s potential.

The use of AR in HR isn’t a mere trend; it’s a revolutionary approach that is here to stay. So why not embrace it? Let AR be the game-changer in your HR practices. Transform your traditional HR processes into an exciting journey that begins the moment a potential recruit steps into your AR-enhanced world.

Why settle for traditional when you can go augmented? Don’t let HR be the ‘boring’ department. If you’re ready to bring AR’s immersive innovation into your onboarding, training, and recruitment, we’re just a call away. Click here to book a call with our sales team and let’s start revolutionizing your HR landscape today.