Adecco
Self-funded VR recruitment concept developed for Adecco immediately before Covid — virtual interview rooms, reception lobbies, and meeting spaces that would allow safe, immersive hiring when the world shut down weeks later.
Duration
1M
Team
1
Scale
POC
Scope
Global
Overview
Developed immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, this self-funded concept for Adecco — the world's largest staffing firm — demonstrated how virtual reality could transform recruitment when face-to-face interviews became impossible. Within weeks of this concept being developed, the entire world would shut down and prove the exact use case this addressed.
The concept created a complete virtual recruitment environment: a welcoming entrance lobby, casual pre-interview meeting areas, formal interview rooms, and a reception lounge — all designed to replicate the human warmth and professionalism of an in-person recruitment experience while eliminating geographic barriers entirely.
Challenge
Traditional recruitment relied heavily on in-person interviews — a model that was about to be completely disrupted by a global pandemic nobody saw coming.
Video interviews (Zoom, Teams) were emerging but felt flat and impersonal — candidates struggled to showcase their personality and skills through a webcam, and recruiters found it harder to build rapport.
Adecco operated globally, meaning recruitment already faced geographic limitations, travel costs, and scheduling complexity across time zones.
The staffing industry needed a way to maintain the human connection and professional environment of face-to-face recruitment without requiring physical presence.
Research & Discovery
Studied candidate experience research highlighting the discomfort and anxiety of video interviews compared to in-person meetings — identifying VR's potential to bridge the gap.
Mapped the end-to-end recruitment journey from candidate arrival through to interview completion, identifying where virtual environments could enhance rather than diminish the experience.
Evaluated cross-platform VR delivery to ensure accessibility across headsets, desktop browsers, tablets, and mobile — critical for a global staffing firm reaching candidates at all technology levels.
Solution & Deliverables
A virtual entrance lobby where candidates arrive, orient themselves, and are greeted — establishing the same first-impression professionalism as walking into a real Adecco office.
Casual meeting areas designed to put candidates at ease before formal interviews, allowing natural conversation in a comfortable virtual setting.
Professional interview rooms replicating real office environments where recruiters and candidates meet face-to-face through VR — maintaining eye contact, body language reading, and the interpersonal dynamics that video calls strip away.
A reception lounge where candidates can review company information, prepare for interviews, and interact with an AI recruitment assistant.
Cross-platform delivery ensuring the experience works via VR headsets for full immersion, 3D navigation on desktop and tablet, and simplified 2D mode on mobile.
Results & Impact
The timing proved prescient — developed just before Covid-19 shut down in-person recruitment globally, validating the exact scenario this concept addressed.
The concept demonstrated that VR recruitment could maintain the human warmth and professional environment of face-to-face hiring while eliminating geographic barriers entirely.
Cross-platform accessibility meant every candidate could participate regardless of their technology access — a critical requirement for the world's largest staffing firm.
The raw, authentic concept renders reflect the speed and conviction with which this was built — a genuine innovation developed at exactly the right moment in history.
Project Artifacts
Project Details
Industry
Recruitment
Duration
1M
Team Size
1
Direct Reports
0
Scale
POC
Scope
Global
Budget
<10K
Platforms
VR Headsets, Web (3D & 2D), Tablet, Mobile
Regulatory
Moderate
Engagement
Self-Funded Innovation Concept