HRD talks to Cappfinity’s Head of Client Success Lucy Zucker about how VR can support diversity and inclusion
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Why do you think it’s becoming increasingly important for HR to deliver a great candidate experience?
There are multiple reasons why improving candidate experience is so important for organisations.
The war for talent is still real, and in the majority of industries candidates are in control and have choice. The strongest candidates are likely to apply for multiple schemes, and a negative experience could not only mean the loss of an exceptional hire but harm a potential customer.
A great candidate experience with insight, communication and feedback will have a positive impact even if the applicant isn’t successful.
Providing an educational process that helps the candidate to understand more about the company and the specific role they are applying for will make for a more informed decision on both sides. This in turn will lead to improved brand perception, increased productivity and higher retention rates.
What are some of the key benefits of using virtual reality (VR) to select candidates, compared to more traditional forms of assessment?
Since its implementation in 2016, over 2,000 candidates have been assessed in the virtual world. As the technology is relatively new to the market, candidates are immediately impressed with it and with the immersive nature of the experience. In fact, 90% of those surveyed after their assessment said they would speak positively about their assessment.
Additionally, VR technology allows organisations to assess in a consistent manner. Controlled by the software, it delivers exactly the same experience to every candidate, meaning they can be assessed on a truly level playing field. It also removes the issue of over-preparedness that many assessors see in traditional assessments, as candidates are unable to predict what they will be, or are being, assessed on, which drives more natural behaviours and reactions.
For the assessors, the benefit of VR is the level of engagement they experience. Not only do they feel that the VR experience is impressive, but they frequently use evidence from the assessment to reinforce hiring decisions, as they feel that the behaviour seen within this environment is more real than in other, more traditional exercises (eg an interview).
How does VR support diversity and equal opportunity?
Having put over 2,000 people through VR, no adverse impact has been found aligned with ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status or age. As it taps into candidates’ strengths, not their experience, it removes some of the inequalities sometimes seen in other assessments (eg socio-economic status and its link to gaining experience, like internships). Given the consistency with which VR assessments are delivered, for example an identical environment for each candidate and automated instructions, it removes many human biases from the process. The technology itself can be adapted for the majority of disabilities.
Lucy Zucker
Head of client success
Cappfinity
