Everyone knows about team building exercises like ropes courses and trust falls. These experiences draw people together and help them grow as a unit. They’re incredibly effective, but unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not really possible to get your team together to participate in them. That’s where Marshall Mosher’s company Vestigo comes in.
Vestigo has worked with a VR company to launch virtual team-building exercises. They have worked with companies like CNN, Home Depot, and Microsoft, and their list of successes keeps on growing. Led by Marshall Mosher, Vestigo has thrived during the pandemic, despite all of the challenges. They utilize virtual reality to create adventures that can draw teams together. VR headsets can be shipped to each team member’s house for teams of 50 people or less, guided via video conference to team teams how to use the new tech. “We used to create these experiences in real life,” Mosher said. “However, our long term goal has always been to bring the adventure to them via VR.” Since coming out with this technology, Marshall Mosher and Vestigo have helped many companies build cohesive teams, even when they’re working from home. “It’s important to create new, scary, and different environments. That’s where teams can bond and problem solve to get through these difficulties.” Mosher says that the VR experiences can train teams to embrace adaptability, foster a mindset of innovation, and overcome our biological desire for stability and comfort. “It’s really something you have to try to understand. Once you have, you’ll never face an obstacle in the same way”
They currently offer two adventure experiences for corporate clients. In one of them, participants walk on a plank with the headset on. However, in VR, they see a 300 foot fall below them. Their team has to coax them to walk forward. “This is one of our easiest and most successful exercises.” In another experience, the user encounters a ticking time bomb and needs to use instructions provided by their team to stop it from blowing up. It causes tension and fear, which prompts people to work even harder to achieve a common goal. Vestigo is currently working on two more adventures, including a Mount Everest crevasse crossing and a free solo experience. “While we’ll go back to offering these experiences in person, I think many companies will stay working remotely even after COVID.” Mosher’s favorite part about the experience is helping people navigate the unknown, which he calls the innovation mindset. “This gives employees the ability to thrive in unknown and uncertain environments. This action encourages adaptability in the presence of chaos and helps people see obstacles as opportunities.”
If your team needs help working together during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vestigo might just have the solution to your issues. Using a VR headset might seem like an odd way to bring your team together, but you can’t argue with Marshall Mosher’s results.
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