Under-Prepared New Recruits Cost Millions
Many organizations struggle with high employee attrition, especially in roles involving emotionally taxing work. Indiana Child Welfare Services was losing staff at a rate of approximately 50–53% annually, costing them an estimated $72 million per year in replacement and training expenses.
Traditional onboarding methods failed to realistically convey job demands, leaving recruits unprepared and susceptible to early burnout. Moreover, managers lacked objective data to identify which candidates or employees would thrive long-term, resulting in poor hiring and development decisions.
This reflects a broader challenge across industries: inadequate alignment between job expectations and actual duties can erode retention. Without tools to assess cultural fit, emotional resilience, and decision-making in complex scenarios, organizations risk chronic turnover—disrupting operational continuity and inflating costs.
A 34‑point drop in the pilot region, and overall attrition dropped from ~50% to ~19% across the agency.
VR Assessments Make Hiring More Efficient and Reduce Employee Turnover
In partnership with Accenture, Indiana’s Department of Child Services piloted a VR‑based training and evaluation system powered by Moth+Flame.
Candidates engaged in immersive simulations portraying difficult home visits—encounters with intoxicated parents or visibly injured children—which exposed them to the emotional realities of the role. This deeper insight allowed both candidates and HR teams to assess suitability: only 119 participated, 59 received offers, 32 accepted, and 26 remained employed—reducing turnover from 53% to 19% among first-year staff.
“We’ve seen first hand how the Moth+Flame platform helped a client reduce turnover among first-year employees in from 53% to 19%.”
Molly Tierney
Managing Director, Accenture
Beyond hiring, seasoned employees used Moth+Flame VR to reflect on their decision-making, uncover biases, and align with organizational behavioral standards. Simulated performance data became baseline predictors of long-term retention, enabling comparisons between new hires and veteran staff. Integration with case management systems strengthened analytics, supporting proactive talent interventions rather than reactive replacements.
Saved Annually: High attrition costs were dramatically reduced through better hire-fit and retention
Summary
53% → 19% First-Year Turnover: A 34‑point drop in the pilot region, and overall attrition dropped from ~50% to ~19% across the agency.
$72M Saved Annually: High attrition costs were dramatically reduced through better hire-fit and retention.
Enhanced Self‑Awareness: 47% of participants reported improved self-recognition of bias; 55% felt better equipped to interpret behaviors; 81% set more realistic job expectations.
Data‑Driven Strategy: The shift from subjective "feelings" to measurable VR data incentivized broader transformation—leading to a consolidated performance management system launched in March 2021 .
LaFlamme, Marianne. “How Virtual Reality Can Help Improve Employee Retention.” MIT Sloan Management Review, 11 Apr. 2023,https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/how-virtual-reality-can-help-improve-employee-retention.