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How virtual reality can help convey your company culture

For both employers and prospective employees, company culture plays a vital part in the recruitment process. But what exactly is it? Company culture is essentially the organisation’s identity or personality. It is its vision, mission and manner of working.

According to a study by World at Work, company culture is the burning question for 42% of potential recruits. They want to know what it’s actually like to work there, if there’s a culture of advancement and progression and if it’s a diverse and inclusive environment in which to work. They want to know if the new workplace is a serious stickler for the rules, or if it’s an office that values creativity and independence, and puts fun at the heart of company strategy. And given the general millennial preoccupation with sustainability and making the world a better place, they want to know what the company believes in – and whether they put their money where their mouth is.

However, for organisations, the trouble comes with actually trying to convey this. After all, how can you accurately portray something as ineffable as atmosphere? Or as transient as temperament? PwC, a management consultancy and partner employers here at Gradlink, has come up with a typically ingenious solution for the problem: virtual reality tours.

According to a report in Personnel Today, the company launched its ‘you visit’ virtual reality (VR) video back in May. It offers candidates the chance to virtually walk around its new Boston office and get a lay of the land. Once the headset is on, candidates get a 360-degree view of employee workspaces and also social areas like the lounge and gym. Moreover, the virtual tour illustrates the social dynamics of the company through seeing the inside of conference meetings, lunches on the office rooftop and mentoring sessions.

For Alexa Merschel, PwC’s US campus sourcing and national talent ID leader, the reasoning behind the culture-centric VR video was simple. “When we survey people who both join the firm or turn us down, the consistent thing they say that matters to them most is the people and relationships they form, the culture and environment, and the opportunities that exist,” she says.

“So it’s about trying to message the audience by showcasing the offices, demonstrating how people collaborate and work in teams, showing global mobility and career opportunities – and just what a fun environment it is to work in.”

While the benefits are clear for candidates, for employers adopting such a strategy is equally effective; in the case of showcasing the tech at a university careers event, it offers a memorable interaction that a traditional brochure or website couldn’t achieve. Invariably, it differentiates an organisation from its competitors and positions it as an innovative and forward-thinking company – a reputation most brands would pay to have.

Alternatively, there is another way of attracting top international talent and it requires no 360-degree videos or fancy gimmicks – simply register your vacancies with us today (for free!) and get access to our thousands-strong database of unbeatable international graduates.