QUESTION TWO [30] Read the following article and answer the question that follows Top HR Trends That Matter Most In The 2020 Workplace Explore Virtual Reality for Corporate Training Virtual Reality (VR) may not have reached its potential in the consumer market yet, but it is growing in corporate training. According to ABI Research: the VR training market will reach $6.3B by 2022 . Leaders in this market, Strivr and Mursion, are offering VR solutions for a range of training as diverse as safety training, customer service training, leadership development, and re-inventing the employee experience. And research is showing that immersive learning is able to facilitate behavior change in developing new skills in the workplace. For example, Verizon has been using VR to train store managers and their team on how to handle a potential store robbery. VR allows store managers to practice the nuances of proper response in a potential robbery. When the Verizon store managers were surveyed, 95% said they better understood the factors they would need to consider during an actual burglary attempt than when using traditional types of training. Derek Belch, CEO of Strivr believes," the future of using VR in the workplace will move beyond distinct use cases like Verizon store operations to be the next generation of corporate training. VR is ideally suited for this because it delivers higher knowledge retention, increase engagement, and allows for practice before being in the situation." Using VR for soft skills how Mursion is helping develop problem solving resolution skills among front desk employees at Best Western Hotels. To date, the results have been impressive, with Best Western hotels experiencing an average of 25% gains in post-guest satisfaction ratings and strong gains in problem solving resolution training. According to Mark Atkinson, CEO of Mursion, "The big opportunity to use VR going forward is in the area of soft skills development. When we think about the skills employers need for the workforce of the future, it's skills like building empathy, handling conflict, and having difficult conversations with both co-workers and customers. VR provides workers with the opportunity to perform at their best in their moment of need." Re-Define Blended Learning To Include On Demand Coaching Most coaching solutions are expensive, time consuming, and reserved for top leaders. In 2020, this seems out of sync with how we work and the changing demographics of the workforce where Millennials and Gen Z now make up more than 60% of global workers. Mars, Incorporated, the global food, petcare, and confectionery company, felt that established approaches no longer met the needs of their modern learners, or the increasing size, scale, and diversity of their company. Traditionally at Mars, leadership training was conducted in a classroom and reached under half of first-time leaders globally. This approach limited accessibility and was inconsistent with Mars's egalitarian culture and principles. In 2019, Summer Davies and the Mars University team reinvented the organizations new people leader training program by launching a fully virtual development program called Great Line Management Experience, or GLMe. GLMe combines digitally delivered content supported by ondemand, personalized coaching. The solution created by Mars University was blending virtually delivered leadership development training with an on-demand coaching experience from BetterUp that is convenient, accessible, and impactful while meeting the needs of Mars's evolving workforce. To date, more than 2,000 new leaders have participated in the program. The design has given new meaning to "blended learning," which no longer means combining inherently limited face-to-face training with online training but is now democratized to include on-demand coaching as well. (Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeannemeister/2020/01/15/top-10-hr-trends-that-matter-mostin-the-2020-workplacel#5046f8177dfc) Questions: Critically discuss the applicability of the above methods of learning, training and development in contemporary organisations