Why VR & not video calls

1. VR provides a sense of presence

For those who haven’t tried it yet, VR makes it feel like you are in the same physical space – and it’s magical. I.e. if you’re looking for something that feels more genuine than a video call, but cannot manage to get everyone in person, then VR is the perfect Goldilocks solution.

2. Team connectedness & engagement

Many remote teams struggle with team connectedness and engagement because the existing flatscreen tools don’t let people connect. VR is an immersive experience that brings people together from wherever they are and actually makes you feel like you are together.

3. Side conversations like you have in real life

On a video call you can only have one person speaking at a time. Thanks to the spatial audio in VR, you can have multiple conversations running simultaneously in the same session, which makes it feel much more natural and authentic.

4. Natural breakout rooms

Breaking out people on a video call can require quite a bit of overhead from the call manager. With VR, you can simply walk into another room to have your breakout session.

5. Include the widest possible demographic

Not everyone is used to playing games with a mouse and keyboard, but everyone knows how to use their hands to naturally interact with the world. Luckily the interactions in VR are much more similar to what we do in the real world, thus you can have people from and background or demographic enjoy and participate in the session.

6. No camera or video required

Many people turn off their camera in a video call. In VR you don’t have to worry about messy hair or a dirty room, all interactions are avatar-based on don’t share your actual visuals.

7. Not a replacement (yet)

VR is not a replacement for video calls (yet). There are meetings and team interactions for which video calls make much more sense. A particular use case where VR works well is for meetings that involve light business updates and team socializing.

8. Memories are spatial

People connect through shared experiences and ultimately shared memories. Memories are tied to spatial anchors and reminders, which is why we don’t really have memories of video calls. VR on the other hand can take you to a new magical place every day and since you know where teammates are during each interaction, you quickly build up a good list of funny memories with your group.

9. Breaks the monotony of video calls

The main communication medium for remote teams is video calls and text messages. VR provides an excellent break from the monotony of these meetings. Instead of having another video call on Friday, your team can all meet up in VR.

10. Great for specific types of meetings

There are some meetings for which VR is the best and some that should be avoided in VR.

Here are some that are good in VR:

  • Breakout room sessions

  • Creative thinking meetings

  • Celebrations

  • Brainstorming meetings

  • And many more