VR at work survey: Key business benefits of mixed reality

Businesses are increasingly using virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) to elevate their outputs – and quickly noticing benefits to people and productivity. To learn more about the benefits of VR and MR at work, CCS Insights carried out a survey of 500 people currently using headsets in their role.

Professionals from a range of industries, company sizes and role types were invited to participate between August and October 2023. The survey spanned topics including employees' current experience of the digital workplace, general use of MR at work, experience of MR for collaboration and productivity, education, learning and training, as well as perceptions of the future of VR and MR in the workplace.

Here are just some of the business benefits of VR and MR:

1. Super-charged teamwork

Two-thirds (66%) of survey respondents said VR and/or MR accelerates tasks and speeds up teamwork. Reducing the time taken to complete tasks is an important metric for both productivity and profitability.

With its COVID-19 vaccination programme, Pfizer was able to use VR to resolve challenges around access to the production line. By creating a digital production line and VR training modules, Pfizer was able to train operatives 40% faster. A vital time-saving at such a crucial moment.

To speed up tasks even further, VR and MR can be used to overlay instructions over a real-world view. This additional assistance can be used to troubleshoot problems and delays, reducing the average time taken to complete a task. Manufacturing and logistics are two sectors that can see significant benefits from using VR and MR in this way.

2. Strengthened collaboration

Two-thirds (65%) of survey respondents said that VR/MR improves collaboration with colleagues when compared with traditional online meetings. They reported that they felt more physically present and that conversations felt more natural compared to traditional video calls.

There are several reasons why collaboration is strengthened with VR / MR, chiefly that they minimise distractions. In the design world, it improves visualisations and in turn, the understanding of ideas. VR and MR also allows teams to detect flaws earlier and seamlessly iterate designs. When Mortenson were designing a DeKalb Data Center, for example, they shared immersive designs of the building with close to 50 key stakeholders. From this, the team were able to resolve over 600 issues before they became a serious problem.

3. Enhanced quality of work

An impressive 74% of survey respondents said that VR and MR help them to produce better work. High-quality work is vital for organisations to remain competitive and increase growth and sustainability.

Companies have found that VR allows teams to incorporate more complex data and insights into decision-making, resulting in improved products and services. For example, the medical research charity, LifeArc used VR to transform their drug design process, improve quality and unlock a host of efficiencies. With VR, the chemists were able to improve their spatial awareness between drugs and their targets. This in turn enabled LifeArc to create 'better' drugs.

4. Increased pace of innovation

Over three-quarters (76%) of survey respondents said that VR and MR help to increase the pace of innovation and allows them to make quicker business decisions. The aerospace and defence sector especially resonated with the increased speed of innovation, 87% of those using VR or MR in the sector agreed the technology had improved the pace of innovation.

VR allows teams to share their ideas like never before. An interesting example is the global snack giant, Mondelēz International, who built a virtual R&D department using VR and was able to reduce its average packaging development time from weeks to hours.

5. Optimised training

Those who have used VR or MR to deliver training have found that it helps optimise the experience – both for the participants and the trainer.

The training and education improvements attributed to VR and MR included:

• engagement and interaction (65%)
• focus (67%)
• conveying information (66%)
• speed of delivery (65%)
• understanding (59%)
• attendance (59%)
• boosting the trainer's confidence (55%)

It's not just the immersive and realistic nature of VR and MR that makes these improvements possible. It also gives employees the freedom to repeat tasks in an environment in which it's safe to make mistakes.

For example, Purdue Global used VR in its training for 4,000 nursing professionals. They saw an increase in effectiveness scores across end-of-term surveys and a 10-15% increase in exam pass rate.

6. Amplified community and connections

A huge 77% of survey respondents agreed that VR and MR help to improve a sense of community. Over two-thirds (68%) said that holding meetings in VR or MR help them feel more connected to their colleagues. It was also found to allow for more spontaneous conversations and understanding of non-verbal cues. VR/MR was also cited as helping reduce feelings of isolation, particularly among workplaces with hybrid working practices. The more immersive experience offered by VR, AR or MR allows for more spontaneous conversations and non-verbal cues can help make interactions more natural and meaningful.

Discover how Meta Horizon managed solutions can scale your organisation with virtual and mixed reality. Learn how you can use VR and MR to build the future of work and education with our success stories. Getting started is easy, please

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"Survey: VR at Work, 2023" by CCS Insight, Feb 2024.