Are There Health Risks to Using Virtual Reality Headsets at Work?

Virtual reality may be transforming the workplace, but strapping into a virtual reality headset can also carry consequences. Find out how virtual reality headsets work and if they are bad for you.

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry
Oct 11, 2023 6:00 PM
A man using a virtual reality headset for work
(Credit: G-Stock Studio/Shutterstock)

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Virtual reality (VR) is becoming more popular in corporate offices, thanks in part to the rise of remote work in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. VR headsets offer many potential employee benefits, from a more private and customizable virtual office to more engaging training sessions. According to Deloitte, by 2025, around 70 percent of employee training will include a VR headset.

But this increase in virtual training is already driving up the number of hours employees wear a headset, causing many experts to become concerned about VR's potential pitfalls — particularly when it comes to our physical health.

How Do VR Headsets Work?

A VR headset is a wearable device that immerses the user in a computer-generated, three-dimensional virtual environment.

When it comes to the workplace, employees have the opportunity to engage in workplace simulations that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive, hazardous or unfeasible to replicate in conventional settings. By donning a VR headset, personnel or trainees can immerse themselves in diverse workplace scenarios.

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