Tomika W. Greer’s research while affiliated with University of Houston and other places

VR career development has implications for HRD and HRM scholars, professionals, and practitioners alongside career development professionals. This chapter provides research queries for scholars who are interested in the success of VR career development, VR employees, and organization leaders. The sustainability of society is also dependent on the success of organizations that care about the well-being of their employees regardless of the environment within which they work. VR employees need the support of all stakeholders to thrive in Industry 5.0 and all iterations of new technologies that will be developed. Cultivating employee experience systems that value all employees is a must for organizational success.

Chapter 2 explores the evolving landscape of VR work, a flexible work arrangement that is becoming more widespread, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Technological advancements in digital communication and collaboration tools have facilitated the rise of VR work across various regions and industries. The chapter highlights disparities in VR work adoption across different geographic regions, industries, and demographics. It also discusses the benefits and challenges of VR work for employees, organizations, and society. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of VR work on equity and inclusion, emphasizing the importance of leveraging VR work to engage underrepresented populations.

This chapter explores the gender differences in VR career development by focusing on the challenges and opportunities women face. The shift to VR work has highlighted disparities in access to technology and work-life balance. Women often encounter more significant barriers in using technology and managing work and family responsibilities due to traditional gender roles. These challenges contribute to intensified work-family conflict and hinder career progression. The chapter discusses how societal expectations and gender biases in performance evaluations exacerbate these issues, creating an unequal playing field. However, it also identifies opportunities to overcome these barriers. Key strategies include promoting flexible work arrangements, fostering inclusive communication practices, and facilitating networking and mentorship opportunities tailored to women’s needs. The chapter emphasizes the importance of targeted support and equitable practices to create a more inclusive VR work environment. It suggests that flexible work arrangements can help women balance professional and domestic responsibilities. In addition, inclusive communication and robust networking can enhance women’s engagement and career development in VR settings. Finally, the chapter highlights the need for human resource development (HRD) professionals to ensure that advanced technologies like AI and VR are accessible to all employees, especially women. By addressing these challenges and implementing supportive measures, organizations can promote gender equality and empower women in VR career development.

Chapter 3 provides an overview of career development processes and practices, adapting traditional practices to the contemporary VR work landscape. This chapter discusses VR career development as a shared responsibility among organizations, leaders, and employees. The chapter introduces a six-stage career development model, consisting of (1) assessment, (2) exploration, (3) analysis, (4) preparation, (5) execution, and (6) reflection—which are relevant to both traditional and VR work settings. The chapter highlights the differences between how these stages of career development are executed differently in VR settings compared to traditional work settings. It emphasizes how career development needs can be addressed through technology in VR settings. Special attention is given to the unique challenges to career development faced by VR employees and the roles that organizations, leaders, and employees play in supporting their career development.

This chapter explores the significant challenges associated with VR career development that employees, leaders, and organizations must navigate. Key challenges identified include the isolation and lack of face-to-face interaction which can hinder professional growth, networking, and emotional well-being among VR employees. The chapter discusses the complexities of building relationships and networking in a virtual environment, where the absence of non-verbal cues and spontaneous interactions can make it difficult to establish trust and strong professional connections. Communication barriers are another major issue, as the reliance on digital tools often leads to misunderstandings and less rich interactions. The digital divide further exacerbates inequalities, with some employees lacking access to the necessary technology and skills for effective virtual career development. Technical difficulties and the usability of virtual platforms also pose challenges, while ethical concerns, including data privacy, security, and potential biases in AI-driven tools, require careful consideration. The chapter highlights the need for deliberate strategies to address these challenges, emphasizing the role of human resource development professionals in supporting virtual teams, fostering connections, and promoting ethical practices. By addressing these issues, organizations can unlock the potential of virtual remote work environments and ensure that career development remains dynamic, inclusive, and effective in the digital age.

Chapter 5 explores the opportunities in VR career development. The chapter highlights how VR environments remove traditional barriers like geography and time, making career resources accessible to employees and potential employees worldwide. It discusses key opportunities, including global connectivity, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and the development of technological skills. The chapter emphasizes how VR career development fosters autonomy, supports underrepresented groups, and creates inclusive spaces for professional growth. It also examines the role of virtual career development platforms in enhancing decision-making skills and boosting confidence and self-efficacy through immersive learning experiences. The chapter provides practical examples of how virtual mentorships, online counseling, and AI-powered tools contribute to professional advancement. It also addresses the importance of creating safe, supportive VR environments that encourage personal and professional growth. Finally, the chapter suggests that future research should focus on integrating virtual technologies with traditional career development theories and assessing the long-term impacts of virtual initiatives. By embracing VR career development, employees, leaders, and organizations can build resilient careers and stay competitive in a rapidly changing world. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for human-centered practices in VR career development and the need to ensure that it remains accessible, inclusive, and supportive of diverse needs and aspirations. By leveraging the potential of virtual career development platforms, human resource development can play a pivotal role in empowering employees to navigate their career journeys successfully, adapt to changing workforce dynamics, and achieve sustained professional growth in an increasingly interconnected world.

As new technologies and ways of working emerge, there does not always require completely new ways of doing things. Sometimes, adapting to changes requires reanalyzing the old ways of doing things to see how these effective methods can be applied in new situations or in this case new VR environments. VR work environments require different structures and skills than traditional work environments. There are best practices and strategies that have been effective for learning and career development in traditional environments that have been adapted in this chapter to meet the needs of VR employees. The skills development strategies and factors of relationship building, networking, effective communication, skill development techniques, personal branding, ethics, and understanding of organizational culture when aligned with accumulation of information, change in behavior, improved performance, change in knowledge, attitudes, and skills, a new sense of meaning, cognitive restructuring, and personal transformation all contribute to successful VR career development of employees when supported by organization leaders.

In this conceptual article, we present an HRD model of career transitions. We used findings from extant literature to show how this model can be applied to women’s careers, which are characterized as nonlinear and complex due to the influence family life has on a woman’s career. The proposed model includes five propositions that explain how the career transition occurs in two phases: career preparation and career identity formation. These career transition phases are influenced by the individual characteristics of the woman in transition and the HRD interventions that are available and used by her. The entire process is sustained with the help of contextual supports, including workplace flexibility and inclusive organizational cultures. Future research can test this model in additional populations. This model highlights the practical role of HRD interventions and furthers theory and research related to career transitions in HRD.