VR for remote work 👇
At CyberSun, we are a fully remote company because our talented team is spread across various countries and cities. Working remotely, particularly for artistic endeavors, can be challenging due to the need for thorough discussions regarding the best materials, colors, and other asset details.
As a full VR company, every employee is equipped with an Oculus Headset (Quest 2 or Quest Pro). For the past six months, we've been utilizing Horizon Worlds, Meta's VR app, for remote work, collaboration, and meetings. We use Workrooms for our daily stand-up calls and regular client meetings.
Pros and Cons of Our VR Experience
Cons ➖
- Wearing a headset can leave marks, such as a red forehead.
- Long meetings may quickly drain the headset battery.
- Avatars have a cartoonish appearance.
- It's hard to eat during meetings, as everything is visible in the workroom. 🍺
Pros ➕
- The sense of presence among others is greatly enhanced. Sitting close together feels very much like real life, especially with the Quest Pro, where emotions and facial expressions are clearly visible.
- You can convey ideas more effectively with tools like large screens, laser pointers, and hand gestures. Demonstrating concepts with hands alone is difficult in traditional video calls. 🤏
- Interactive boards allow for drawing out ideas, adding images, and placing sticky notes.
- You have the flexibility to choose a meeting environment that suits you best, whether that's a virtual Greek seaside or a bustling city office.
Conclusion
Overall, VR significantly enhances the remote work experience, making it unnecessary to be physically present with employees all the time. With tools like Workrooms, Google Meet, Slack, and Jira, we can work more efficiently without the need for commuting.
In today's world, is it essential for art, development, and IT professionals to be in the office all the time? I don't think so. If companies insist on having all employees in the office, it raises the question of why—perhaps it's about a lack of trust or outdated work processes.