Picture your typical idea of workplace conduct training. Maybe you watch a series of software videos on your computer. Perhaps you attend an instructor-led presentation or seminar. You might take a quiz, read a manual, or participate in a question and answer session. Now, imagine a more immersive way to learn workplace harassment, discrimination, and bullying prevention, that allows you to see multiple points of view. Sisu VR is achieving just that. 

Sisu’s “Empower Now” empathy training program is a revolutionary virtual reality alternative to the often tedious and outdated training methods that many employees are accustomed to using. USC Iovine and Young Academy graduate student Jocelyn Tan is the CEO and founder of the company, and she’s committed to revitalizing the business conduct training space. What started out as a personal mission to amplify the voices of those who have been victims of misconduct ended up being an opportunity to actively combat the issue, exhibiting a fresh perspective while implementing virtual reality technology. 

Sisu doesn’t just show employees workplace misconduct scenarios, it puts them directly in realistic situations that demonstrate harassment in real time. From a first-person viewpoint, users are fully engaged in these authentic narratives, acting and analyzing conflict as either a victim, observer, or offender. As opposed to conventional training mechanisms, the practice of virtual reality has the ability to improve performance by more than 200 percent. Not to mention, it’s cost-effective and takes 53 percent less time to undergo – a huge win for bustling businesses. 

“We’re different because instead of just watching something passively or memorizing some text, you actually play these real simulations based on real narratives as the first-person perspective. You can play as a victim, you can play as an observer, and you can even play as a perpetrator,” Tan explains of Sisu’s distinguishing features and how they illustrate differing angles. 

Tan’s journey to the formation of Sisu was anything but easy. She says she knows what it’s like to be at the receiving end of harassment and discrimination, revealing that early in her career she faced her own bouts of harassment in the workplace – an ordeal that led her to contemplating quitting STEM entirely. Instead of running away from the problem, she was intent on solving it. 

“That’s how Sisu was born. It wasn’t just that my personal experiences were profound, but also those of my colleagues and friends. Speaking with other professionals, especially women and minorities, they face a lot of verbal and sometimes physical abuse in a professional environment. The ways that companies are addressing the issues is through training, but it’s not as effective,” Tan states. 

Tan initially wanted to launch a website that collected anonymous stories of workplace misconduct. Using advice from advisors like psychologists, lawyers, and ethics experts, she aimed to answer questions like, “If somebody blatantly insults you in a huge meeting, what are you supposed to do?” The website didn’t gain traction, but the case studies remained. Realizing that existing misconduct training might not adequately reduce workplace incidents, she turned to VR, and those same case studies and insights ended up developing the content Sisu uses today. 

Offering the chance to witness circumstances from three separate VR perspectives creates a unique opportunity for users. Tan is often asked why you can play as a perpetrator, and the truth is that real-world scenarios aren’t always clear and incidents aren’t necessarily intentional. Sisu aims to infuse empathy and the tools to overcome an issue in their training. 

“Sometimes people come from a different culture or maybe they had a bad day and maybe have a misstep. A lot of the time people are so quick to label offenders and say you are X, Y, Z or you are the bad guy. We really believe in redemption,” she notes. 

Sisu leans on recent soft skills studies that showcase the success of VR training in professional settings. Research has determined there’s an 80 percent higher retention rate of information using virtual reality, compared to traditional training. The company also evaluates employee results through an ethical framework that aims to cultivate more inclusive work environments. 

“It’s a way to tap into your emotions. When you’re going through traditional training it’s just, ‘memorize this, take a quiz at the end and try to pass it.’ With an ethical framework we enforce we are not robots. Instead, we ask, ‘how do you feel when this happens?’” Tan describes. 

“We are people first … We have to practice what we preach. We can’t say this is what we want to do and have our product say something that we’re not doing. We try to encourage users to effectively communicate, which includes how to be more inclusive towards others, especially those who are not of the same opinion or background. We want to make sure we speak to each other with empathy, transparency, and respect,” she adds of Sisu’s ideology as it relates to businesses. 

Sisu has devoted itself to bettering workplace culture, and now their latest acquisition addresses the unfortunate reality of how to act in the event of an active shooting. MindGlow, the brainchild of another Academy graduate student, Neilda Pacquing Gagne, uses immersive virtual reality for active shooter response training. The partnership was the natural next step for Sisu because it encompasses two pillars of the company’s purpose. 

“The first being psychological safety, and the second being physical safety,” Tan expresses. “Yes, harassment and discrimination can come in physical forms, and we want to make sure you feel safe from different threats in the workplace. Shootings are an example. We felt this complemented our mission as a whole for workplace safety.”

Looking towards a prospective future, Tan recognizes the potential for virtual reality beyond business conduct and active shooter preparation. She hopes to expand to ethics and security training, team building, firefighting, pipe inspection, and beyond. Her dream is to build an ecosystem where training applications become consolidated and both soft and hard skills are part of VR education. 

In addition to connecting her with MindGlow and Gagne, the Academy has been integral in helping Tan manage Sisu and expand her creative output. Entering without a formal business background, she’s gained a broader picture of how to work through different company phases and operate alongside a variety of clients. Design classes have also enabled Tan to collaborate on different types of feats of innovation, such as creating websites, art, or apps. 

“The spirit of collaboration was really emphasized and I really appreciated being able to work with so many different types of people, which very much reflects what I’m doing now.”

Virtual reality wasn’t always in Tan’s sights. She began as an engineer by trade, but a business-minded side was invigorated by the continued belief that an inclusive and purpose-driven outlook is essential to entrepreneurship – and life. Respectful communication and intersectionality is crucial, and she is motivated to teach that to the world through Sisu. 

“How do you turn from being an engineer to an entrepreneur? Seems like a big switch. Well, maybe not at the Academy! … My vocation in life is to help society, which in my mind might not be making the next iPhone or making the next version of an electric car. It’s more just something that will really directly impact society. I turned to entrepreneurship to make an impact.”

Imagine a more immersive way to learn workplace harassment, discrimination, and bullying prevention, that allows you to see multiple points of view. Sisu VR is achieving just that. Academy graduate student Jocelyn Tan is the CEO and founder of the company, and she’s committed to revitalizing the business conduct training space. What started out as a personal mission ended up being a unique opportunity, exhibiting a fresh perspective while implementing virtual reality technology.

Workplace Conduct Training Through a Virtual Reality Lens