Will VR Bring the End of Physical Workspaces?

As the world of virtual reality grows and becomes more useful, it’s no surprise that it’s made its way into our everyday lives. Into business is probably one of the most obvious places for it to reach, and it’s doing so at such a rate that we just don’t know what’s around the corner. One thing we do know, however, is that VR is here to stay and it’s going to change the world as we know it – much more than we’ve seen already.

There’s been a lot of hype in recent years about the possibilities brought by VR. Will it make your staff redundant? Will it compete with our real life relationships? Will it remove us from reality for good one day? All questions which have been headlines of their own all over the internet. The truth is that no-one really knows just how much it is going to affect us. The biggest change which looms in the business world is, of course, physical workspaces and the possible end of them.

The very concept of remote, lonely working and the demise of office spaces is one which both scares and interests most of us. Will we even need to “go in” to work on a Monday morning, or will be we able to join those big meetings by pushing a button and becoming present in a room? Scary stuff, but undeniably appealing. But for every opinion saying VR will end workspaces forever, there’s another one fighting against it, saying that there is a timeless need of physical, human presence that technology could never replace. Perhaps there’s no right or wrong answer.

It’s already happening

There’s actually an app you can download already, which is designed for replacing the office environment with virtual reality. It’s a simulation known as Dataview VR, which basically allows you to collaborate face-to-face with your colleagues or clients (face to face as much as you can be in a VR simulation, but still, you are looking at them in real time, they’re just not there physically). As we are in the early days of VR, there’s likely a lot to be improved in terms of quality and things you can do when engrossed in the world of VR. Research is still being done to combine virtual reality with the real world, so you can do things like pick up a coffee cup as you stay in the cyber world, but there’s much more to it than that.

VR can do so much for business

Business is about to change in a huge way. This new technology opens up so many doors and has the ability to totally transform how we communicate. One might argue that’s a bad thing, but being able to sit in a meeting when you’re actually 5000 miles away doesn’t have too many disadvantages.

But it’s not all about being able to see people on the other side of the world in a split second (we can already do that anyway). What’s much more interesting is how VR is being used to train people to carry out important procedures. Surgeons are using VR to practise dangerous operations, fire fighters are using it to practise saving lives, even teachers are using it to improve their classroom skills. But even a small business as general as an accounting firm, a marketing agency, or a law firm will soon be able to use VR to get better at their jobs. VR is likely more important for business than any other area.

Taking the first steps for VR for business

It may seem like one small step for VR, one giant leap for business, but really, VR is quite easy to get your head around once you’ve started. How you choose your VR is of course up to you; there are countless options out there which may seem overwhelming. You can start by reading up on the various headsets out there, and the apps that go with them. One thing people tend to forget about is getting the right cases for your VR headset. The Case Farm is a safe bet here, so whatever you end up with, make sure it’s got a case which will protect it!

Read more here about how VR can help your business.