Brave VR launches in Australia to boost workplace behaviour

BRAVE VR has launched in Australia with a virtual reality workplace training programme designed to change employee behaviour at scale.

The business was founded by Emma Hall, a former Virgin Australia culture leader, and Eliza Kiers, a former Reuters and Virgin Group executive. It targets a long-running problem in corporate transformation efforts, citing estimates that up to 70% of such initiatives fail because of human behaviour rather than strategy.

BRAVE VR's programme uses a series of immersive scenarios to place participants in unfamiliar, high-pressure environments, including an Olympic ski jump, a rainforest zip line and Everest Base Camp. Each virtual reality session lasts about 15 minutes and is supported by guided reflection, practical tools, facilitated group discussions and optional coaching.

The aim is to help workers understand how they respond to stress, uncertainty and adversity in the moment. The programme also introduces the neuroscience behind those reactions and links them to workplace behaviour, decision-making and performance.

Hall said established training formats often fail to change what people do when pressure rises.

"Workshops might feel good on the day, but they don't change behaviour. People already know they should have the difficult conversation, speak up in the meeting or back themselves. The problem is what happens in the moment - fear takes over. BRAVE helps people understand those responses so they can respond differently the next time it counts," said Emma Hall, Co-Founder, BRAVE.

The programme includes 20 virtual reality experiences. It is already being used by organisations including KPMG, Air New Zealand, Anglo American and Fiji Airways, while its first American and European clients are also joining.

Early results

According to BRAVE, early results across its client base show an 84% improvement, while programme graduates are 92% more capable of managing change. The company attributes those gains to higher self-awareness, confidence and behavioural adaptability.

Participant data also points to improved communication, stronger resilience and greater confidence in handling conflict, uncertainty and high-pressure situations. Those measures are central to BRAVE's pitch to employers facing repeated restructuring, new technology roll-outs and broader workplace change.

The launch comes as companies continue to review how they train staff during periods of disruption. BRAVE argues that conventional learning methods often fail to stick, citing figures that participants forget about 70% of content within 24 hours and up to 90% within a month.

It also points to wider research into immersive learning suggesting virtual reality training can deliver learning up to four times faster, improve knowledge retention and raise confidence in applying new skills by as much as 275%.

Client feedback

Fiji Airways Chief Executive Officer Paul Scurrah said the programme had changed how employees contribute ideas and challenge established thinking.

"At Fiji Airways, our ambition is to be the world's happiest airline, and that starts with our people. We've been encouraged by the response to BRAVE and the willingness of participants to embrace a very different way of learning. We've seen people grow in confidence, contribute ideas more openly and challenge long-standing ways of doing things in a constructive way. That's exactly the kind of culture we're working to build, because the best ideas shouldn't depend on job title or seniority," said Paul Scurrah, Chief Executive Officer, Fiji Airways.

That focus on speaking up and confidence is central to BRAVE's proposition. Rather than teaching technical tasks, the company aims to influence how staff respond in difficult conversations, moments of doubt and fast-moving situations where hesitation or silence can affect teams and operations.

Kiers said that need was becoming more urgent as organisations face continued uncertainty and adopt new technologies, including artificial intelligence.

"Change and uncertainty aren't going away. People can handle it - but not without support. BRAVE VR exists to make every person across a workforce capable and ready for whatever comes next," said Eliza Kiers, Co-Founder, BRAVE.