Meetings are vital for bringing coworkers together to brainstorm, problem-solve, learn or make important decisions. However, within a hybrid or remote workforce the connections possible through face-to-face interactions are harder to create.
Virtual reality meets our natural desire for human interaction. It builds and sustains relationships more effectively than the typical video conferencing experience. It also saves on the resources usually required to bring disparate teams together in the physical world.
With the right planning and preparation, VR meetings can be a driving force for innovation and productivity and reflect a positive and supportive workplace culture in the process. There's also a clear step-by-step process for getting them right.
Choosing the right Meta Quest headsets starts with knowing the purpose of your meeting, the locations involved and who will be there.
For regular town halls, events and other big, presenter-led meetings, the budget-friendly Meta Quest 3S could be your best option for a large-scale rollout.
For more engaging, immersive meetings for remote workers, try the powerful Meta Quest 3. Using mixed reality (MR), it also enhances the collaborative process, allowing multiple teams and stakeholders to work together in real-time.
For product demos and showcases, the Meta Quest 3 creates a leading-edge VR experience with 3D modelling and virtual prototypes. The hand, face and eye tracking also give you more control within the virtual environment.
Once you've chosen your headsets, Meta Quest for Business makes deployment swift, scalable, smooth and secure. It helps you manage access, giving you control of every headset, as well as support to help you get up and running. It also comes with app management, so you can customise the employee experience with apps from the Meta Quest Store.
Apps make VR relevant for your teams and can also help you combine the 3D environment with the 2D tools that they're already familiar with.
To stay within the Meta ecosystem, try Horizon Workrooms. It integrates with Zoom, so meetings are open to anyone, with or without a VR headset.
Take your Microsoft products into the 3D space with Microsoft Mesh. You can join Microsoft Teams meetings via the app and use your existing MS software. Discover five benefits of immersive meetings with Microsoft Mesh on Meta Quest .
A social VR app built to feel more like a chat room, Arthur comes with a range of productivity features, including pinboards, flowcharts and 3D file sharing.
If these apps aren't what you're looking for, you can always build your own. Meta's OpenXR package provides a framework for MR development on Meta Quest devices.
You control the look and feel of your virtual meeting rooms, so you can choose an off-the-shelf solution or go entirely bespoke.
From business pitches to breakout rooms, you'll find a virtual meeting space to fit with a suitably inspiring backdrop. Think ocean views or mountain tops. Rooms also scale up or down to fit the number of attendees.
You can change the layout and room features and add images or video without writing a line of code. Using a toolkit like the one that comes with Microsoft Mesh, VR meeting rooms are fully customisable.
You'll need third-party developer support, but designing a virtual workspace from the ground up is also an option. Create a digital replica of your physical offices or create a visual representation of your corporate philosophy.
Presentations, reviews, brainstorms, workshops, onboarding, status meetings, pitches, one-to-one meetings, coworking and networking sessions – they can all happen in the metaverse.
Customisable avatars – identity, individuality and first impressions count.
Collaboration tools – whiteboards, file sharing, screen sharing, pinboards, kanban boards and mind maps.
3D modelling tools – to foster creativity and innovation.
Breakout rooms – for smaller group discussions.
Presentations – for keynotes and town halls.
Workshop formats – templates for different activities, from brainstorming to training.
Integration with existing productivity apps – enabling productive sprint planning.
Activities and games – for team building and icebreakers.
Social spaces – including cafés and outside spaces.
Lobbies/waiting rooms – to manage who joins meetings and when.
Polls – for large events or when private voting is required.
In-app rewards – to encourage engagement.
Data feeds – for example real-time stock market, social, timetable or weather updates.
International clocks – for managing collaboration across different time zones.
Check sound, audio and the stability of your Internet connection. Employees also need training to help them navigate the VR meeting space with confidence and embrace the new tech, minimising any resistance.
Now's also a good time to establish good etiquette for meeting in VR, including:
Being aware of other conversations, not talking over each other and muting mics to avoid distracting background noise.
Being present and not multitasking (which is easier in VR when you're fully engaged in an immersive space).
Getting consent before recording.
Never using someone else's avatar.
Respecting others' virtual personal space.
Welcoming newcomers and saying goodbye before you leave.
Motion sickness and disorientation can be a problem when wearing a VR headset, as well as head and neck strain. Make sure that your teams know how to look after themselves. Health and safety shouldn't be an afterthought.
Review the full VR meeting experience to help you iron out any issues and make sure that everyone's on board. Feedback forms, short surveys, votes, one-to-one meetings with team leaders and suggestion boxes can help you get the bigger picture.
Gauging progress and acceptance with open, honest conversations is essential. Virtual reality is a shared journey, and it's only just begun.