Onboarding With Augmented Actuality – eLearning Trade
3 ways to effectively welcome new employees
Is your company effectively introducing new employees through hands-on learning? In this article, we explore the benefits of using augmented reality (AR) for employee onboarding and 3 examples you can use in your company.
Why is employee onboarding important?
With a structured onboarding program, companies build a strong workplace culture that increases employee loyalty and reduces staff turnover costs. From the employees’ point of view, onboarding helps reduce their anxiety on the first day, increase their productivity and help them master their role faster.
While traditional onboarding effectively updates new employees in their roles, future learning technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) have enabled more modern, interactive learning experiences that increase engagement and knowledge retention.
Let’s dig deeper into the benefits of using AR for onboarding, and let’s look at examples that you can apply to onboarding your company.
5 benefits of using augmented reality for onboarding
AR highlights traditional onboarding by providing learners with a more engaging onboarding process through hands-on interactions. The AR technology superimposes text, images, videos and 3D models in the real world. Once placed, learners can have realistic, hands-on interactions with digital learning materials.
Specifically, your company can experience the following 5 benefits of onboarding new employees with AR:
- Easily reuse and distribute training on a large scale
- Provide consistent onboarding materials to new employees
- Avoid the need to rely on subject matter experts for information
- Speed up the time it takes to solve problems
- Reduce potential security incidents in the workplace
Next, let’s examine 3 examples of using AR technology to onboard new employees.
3 examples of onboarding with augmented reality
1. Send employees on an AR scavenger hunt
Regardless of the industry, a new employee takes time to get used to their new organization. This includes understanding important information about the origins of the organization, workplace culture, and core values. For some employees, this process can take days or even months to complete.
To speed up this process and provide engaging onboarding activity for new hires, employees can use an iPad, tablet, or mobile device while they go on a scavenger hunt in their new workplace. To complete the activity, learners simply scan real-world 2D images (e.g. a poster or sign) and then interact with digital, bespoke study materials in front of them.
These digital assets can include:
- Interactive digital posters with information about the founders and beginnings of the organization organization
- Pop-up videos for senior executives to introduce themselves
- A complicated map of the employee’s new work environment that identifies the location of key areas (e.g. emergency exits and toilets)
These activities provide an interactive, visual introduction to an organization rather than a more traditional onboarding experience such as B. a tour or a personal introduction to leadership. Employees are likely to have more fun completing their onboarding and learning more about their new organization with this AR technology.
2. Carry out device training with AR object recognition
AR can train new employees on complex machines and devices without the need to use real-world devices (e.g., motors, POS systems, motors, and drills). Regardless of the complexity of the machine or equipment, AR recreates real objects as detailed digital forms that learners can manipulate, explore, and master before entering their new job.
Consider the experience of an automotive technician who is new to the industry and is still learning important processes. One of their main tasks is the operation and repair of complex vehicles. Instead of conventional training courses such as job shadowing, the new technician can use AR object recognition to learn how to change a tire.
By simply scanning the real tire, the learner can overlay digital assets including:
- Object-relevant information text
- Isolated areas that highlight certain parts of the object
- See virtual demonstrations of various processes
3. Complete the process training through detailed AR demonstrations
AR technology can be used to display critical instructions for any real-world task that a new employee’s position requires. These AR demonstrations can introduce learners to complicated processes such as: B. Steps down an assembly line or dealing with money at a checkout counter.
For example, in a retail business, a new employee can receive training on their store’s POS system, current policies, and best customer service techniques. By simply scanning a flat surface in front of them and tapping their screen, learners place a digital replica of their store’s POS system. Then learners can practice doing the following tasks:
- Apply discounts
- Refund customers
- Send digital receipts
- Providing the right amount of change
The main benefit of AR for retail training is that it allows new hires to train without worrying about how their actions will affect their store’s reputation, sales, or customer base.
Are you on board with augmented reality for onboarding?
AR takes traditional onboarding and improves it through interactive learning activities that are guaranteed to leave a lasting impression on your new employees. Are you ready to integrate your new employees with AR technology?
Round table learning
At Roundtable Learning, we work with clients to bridge the gap between existing training strategies and the future of learning through technology-enabled blended learning solutions.
