Talespin, a workplace training company specializing in VR, released a bizarre workplace simulator wherein you are tasked with firing virtual workers in order to teach you leadership skills and emotional intelligence. This means your boss can finally play out their ultimate fantasy of firing you mercilessly over and over again. The simulation was built for managers, but it might also be useful for people who just want to blow off a little steam at the end of the day.
Though strange from the outset, VR has become an increasingly popular tool for workplace training mostly due to the sense of immersion that comes with using virtual reality. “Soft skills are ranked among the most important for any organization as they discuss their needs for the future of work” Talespin CEO Kyle Jackson told MIT Technology Review. Large companies such as Chipotle and Walmart are already using VR as a means to train employees, so expect to see a pair of goggles in your office someday soon.
In Talespin's "game," you sit at a desk in an office. On your desk is a computer screen with the file of the man sitting opposite you, the elderly Barry. Barry or a selection of other AI workers calmly await the news that their time at your company has come to an end. Depending on how things go during the scenario, Barry will either calmly leave, sob, or explode in anger. The aim of the scenario is to let someone go without causing a scene. Barry follows a set script, meaning the game can only be so immersive due to the lack of real human reaction despite his impressive graphical detail.
It's All A Dream
According to the Talespin website, other business training programs developed by the LA-based VR developer include recognizing bias, identifying self-awareness, effective feedback, and leading teams through crisis situations. Talespin states that through role-play and emotional learning one can develop crucial soft skills. Talespin was established in 2015 by Kyle Jackson during the height of VR's hype.“We are seeing repeated interest in building training products around interviewing skills, navigating difficult conversations, consultative selling, performance reviews, and identifying diversity and inclusion best practices, to name a few,” said Jackson.
VR has become increasingly popular ever since Facebook acquired Oculus for $2 billion, and VR's global market is estimated to be over $57 billion by 2027 according to Fortune Business Insights. The world's largest VR company is currently Sony with a market share of 36.7% as of 2019 according to Statista. While packages for this VR training simulator are available on Talespin's website, the software is not available on the Steam marketplace, so don't expect to see a Firing Simulator speed run on Twitch anytime soon.
Source: MIT Technology Review