![]() The company conducted a trial using Headhunter Group employees which showed that its African savannah immersive video content had a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state of participants. London-based Fountain Digital Labs worked with psychologists to create Virry VR, short, five-minute bursts of nature therapy designed to improve employee mood and productivity. In the workplace, VR can be used to manage stress and anxiety or to help increase productivity. “People forget the world around them with a headset, and their confidence grows in different ways,” he said. The psychotherapist finds that his clients enjoy the modern feel of the technology. ![]() “If they tell me their heart rate is getting worse, I can show them techniques on how to change the breathing patterns,” he said. Ward then helps his clients deal with their reactions in real time by talking through their emotions. “I can then make the public seem fed up or a bit bored, taking a call halfway through.” “I can make the crowd look very informal, giving a positive vibe to the speaker to start with,” he said. The psychotherapist explains that he can alter the program to change the way the audience responds, including their body language, using real-life audience footage from Limbix VR. Ward works with businesses in many sectors, from law and delivery to IT and sales, to help staff rehearse presentations in Virtual Reality. “It’s like a mental rehearsal,” he said.įor example, VR can help those who are nervous about public speaking. An evaluation of 285 studies on VR and mental health concluded that “VR has the potential to transform the assessment, understanding and treatment of mental health problems”.įor Mike Ward, a senior consultant and psychotherapist at the London Anxiety Clinic, immersive technology helps people face their fears by experiencing them within the safety of a therapy room. Since then, the phenomenon has gathered pace. VR technology emerged in the 1960s but it wasn’t until the mid-1990s that psychologists began investigating its effectiveness in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. “VR has the potential to transform the assessment, understanding and treatment of mental health problems.” And now, VR is emerging as a high-tech option to add to the list of support that employers can offer staff. “Conversations are certainly starting to open up and the recent pandemic has fuelled this further,” she said. ![]() The change in working patterns caused by Covid-and the stress it has brought on many levels, from our health to job security-has given employers a wake-up call regarding staff wellbeing, according to Jill Mead, CEO and founder of TalkOut. This creative and positive use of technology tackles a pressing issue: almost half of all employees (48%) have experienced a mental health problem in their current job, according to a major study by the charity Mind. A VR headset is a way to take this one step further and transport yourself to a computer-generated, interactive environment designed to promote relaxation, from a 360 degree safari to cascading waterfalls, all from the comfort of a “mood room” or your desk. Some choose to go for a walk others grab a coffee or indulge in a bit of office gossip. When job stress hits, it’s time for a break. What exactly does this involve, how does it work-and is it really the answer to our mental health crisis? ![]() This might sound far fetched, but companies and organisations, from the NHS to Ford, are embracing the power of VR to improve employee wellbeing. You’re on a work break wearing a high-tech Virtual Reality headset as part of your company’s wellness programme. You can almost feel the powdery sand between your toes…almost because, sadly, you are not actually on a tropical island. All you can hear is the gentle lapping of waves and the occasional bird. The turquoise sea meets glistening white sand while palm trees sway to either side of you.
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